


Into The Multi-Verse: A World Away From Home

by FaithCelia



Category: Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Avengers Family, Avengers Tower, Domestic Fluff, F/M, Hydra (Marvel), Irondad, Other, Slow Burn, Trauma
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-01
Updated: 2021-01-19
Packaged: 2021-03-07 19:40:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 14
Words: 39,330
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26743015
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FaithCelia/pseuds/FaithCelia
Summary: Your life changes forever when you wake up in a parallel universe where the Avengers actually exist. Will you be able to save the people you care about in the end? A story about love, inner strength, and chosen family.Additional Info:Hi! So, this is the first fanfic I’ve written and kind, constructive criticism is always appreciated. This is very lightly inspired by the story “Somewhere Between Here and There” by tauri17 (AO3) but it’s obviously my own take on the idea of being transported into the MCU. There will be lots of fluff and cuddles (I’m a very physically affectionate person) as well as danger and plot twists. I do want to remind you that the OC is only 19 at the beginning of the story. I’ll start off slow-burn shipping her with Pietro but we’ll see where things go. I’m going to say this takes place in mid-2017 but it’s an AU where Civil War was resolved and Pietro obviously lived past Sokovia. I don’t plan on incorporating the full plot of Infinity War/Endgame because those movies broke me emotionally but some of the major elements may make it in. I’ll try to update as often as possible but there may be gaps sometimes. Thanks for reading!
Relationships: Avengers Team & Reader, Pietro Maximoff/Reader, Steve Rogers/Reader
Comments: 17
Kudos: 70





	1. The Beginning Of It All

You woke with a start. You were still in your dorm room at Colombia but something didn’t feel right. You couldn’t put your finger on it though so you sighed and decided it would have to wait. You glanced at your clock to see that it was 8:36am, quite a bit earlier than you usually got up on Saturdays but you were too wired to sleep any more. You pulled out your phone and messed around on the Internet for a few minutes before texting your best friend a meme you found last night. For some reason, your message wouldn’t go through and it just kept saying “Not Delivered.”

You checked your signal and noticed that you had full bars, weirding you out even more. You didn’t dwell on it for long though as you remembered your mom asking you to call her when you woke up so she could check in on you. The frequent calls may have felt annoying at times but you loved her and you were excited to hear about how Charlie’s summer league soccer games were going so you didn’t mind too much. Your brother was only fourteen but he was getting really good and he enjoyed playing.

You quickly dialed your mom’s contact and received an error message, only adding to the gnawing anxiety you had felt since you woke up. You decided to push it down and eat some breakfast so you could start packing your stuff. It was the summer after your sophomore year and you had stayed on campus an extra month to take a session of summer classes. You had just finished and thankfully you got good grades that kept your GPA high enough to eventually get in to the Masters program you wanted. You were on the younger end of your class (it was now early June and your 20th birthday was in mid-August) but you were still doing really well. 

Scrolling through the news as you munched on some cereal and listened to music, you froze in your seat when you saw several articles in a row talking about the latest fight the Avengers had with a highly technologically advanced terrorist group that had tried to blow up the Brooklyn Bridge.

Checking to make sure that they were real news sources and not satire sites, you felt your breathing quicken as you went to Google and searched “Avengers”, your hands shaking as you wondered what you might find.

_What if this explains why I’ve felt so off this morning?_

Your blood ran cold when the description listed them as a superhero group founded by SHIELD instead of the typical answers about the movie franchise. Some realistic-looking news articles right below it confirmed your suspicions.

 _Okay_ , you thought as you tried to calm yourself with deep breaths. _The whole multi-verse theory is complete speculation and, even if it is true, there’s no way the freaking Avengers are real in one of them...right?_ You continued to shake as your efforts to slow your breathing were to no avail. You clumsily grabbed the sweatshirt hanging by your door, threw it over your head, slipped on some sandals, and bolted outside with nothing but your phone and your keys in your hand. You needed to take a walk to clear your head. Your thoughts continued to run a thousand miles an hour as you headed off your campus and into the streets of New York. _There’s no way this is actually happening. I mean, even if there is some random parallel universe out there where the Avengers are real, how the heck did I get there?_

You decided to call your mom’s work to see if you could somehow get ahold of her. She usually ended up with a shift on Saturdays. Dialing the familiar number, you continued your walk as the phone rang in your ear and your nerves grew by the second.

“Hello, Brooke County Hospital Pediatric Ward. How can I help you?” You heard a kind voice on the other end say, confirming you had the right place.

“Hi! This is Rose (Y/L/N)’s daughter, (Y/N). Is she in yet? Can I talk to her?”

_Please, Mom. Please be there._

“I’m sorry sweetie, we don’t have anyone by that name working here. Is there any other name she goes by?”

Your heart sank into your chest but you swallowed your emotions and responded, “That’s okay, I must have accidentally dialed the wrong number. Thanks anyway.”

“Okay, hun. Have a good day!” You heard the chipper voice say before you hung up.

You sat down on a nearby park bench and let all of the emotions you were feeling roll over you. You were truly, completely alone. No one you knew would be in this universe, at least not in the same way. You tried to think up a plan but your brain was too jumbled to even make a step one. You scanned your surroundings and saw the Avengers Tower rising in the distance but you were too distraught to really care. Tears started streaming down your face as your heartbeat and breathing sped up rapidly. In typical New York City fashion, no one noticed as they walked by, a bit of a relief to you as you didn’t know if you could take anyone’s pity right now.

Your quiet sob fest was soon interrupted when a young, high-school age kid with curly brown hair walked up and sat down beside you, obvious concern etched on his face as he looked your way. You pulled your knees into your chest and stared at the ground, hoping he wouldn’t say anything but strangely comforted by his presence. He sat quietly and fidgeted for a moment before turning toward you and asking, “Hey, are you okay? You seem upset and I really want to help if I can.”

You took a deep breath and wiped some of the tears from your eyes before gently turning your head toward him and responding, “I’ll be okay eventually, thanks though. Besides, I don’t think it’s anything you can help with anyway.” You added a sad smile at the end of your statement to try to put him at ease, but he only seemed to grow more concerned by your words.

“Are you sure? I would really like to try at least.”

“It’s okay, kid. I appreciate it though. I just have a ton on my mind.”

The boy nodded in understanding and then asked, “Would you like someone to just sit by you until you feel a bit better?”

A small yet genuine smile crept on your face as you wiped away another tear. “Sure. Thanks.”

The two of you sat there in silence for a little while, you with your head tucked on top of your knees and him looking back and forth between you and the crowd walking by. You were still completely frazzled but somehow you felt calmer with this kid next to you. You were a universe away from those you loved and it was nice to know that someone cared.

Suddenly, the boy grabbed your hand and pulled you up out of your seat, startling you out of your thoughts. His eyes were wide with panic as he turned toward you and shouted, “Come on, we need to get out of here, NOW!” Confused but sensing his urgency, you nodded and let him lead you into the crowded sidewalk. You tried to get an idea of your surroundings to figure out what had this kid so alarmed when you noticed a man with tight black clothing and a freakishly emotionless look in his eyes walk straight toward the two of you.

You glanced around and noticed several more people in the same outfits making their way to you from different directions. You’d be surrounded soon if you didn’t do something fast. The boy must have seen them from where he was watching on the bench, although you didn’t know how he could’ve spotted them in such a big crowd. He pulled you down another street and raced toward a dark alley in an effort to lose them and give you a moment to hide but it didn’t work.

They caught up with you right before you could get there. As they slowly encircled you and brought out their weapons, you noticed the insignia on their shirts: a red skull with six tentacles. Your blood ran ice cold when you realized who they were.

HYDRA.

Fear gripped you and you scrambled to think of a way out. Seeing none, you tightened your hold on the boy’s hand and balled the other in a fist. It was hopeless, but you had a bit of self-defense training and you hoped you could distract them long enough for the kid to get away. You weren’t about to let a high schooler get killed or experimented on. You looked over at him to see that he was adjusting his stance and double checking two metal bracelets on his wrists, obviously preparing to fight too.

He looked back at you and gave your hand a reassuring squeeze before letting go and running at a cluster of the soldiers. You tried to stop him but he was too quick for you to pull him back. You cried out, knowing he was about to get seriously hurt.

Or...not?

The boy, while he looked small, actually had incredible strength. He knocked out several of the agents, then jumped and used the momentum to kick off of the wall and land on the shoulders of another, hitting the man over the head before he could retaliate. The boy tumbled off and went up to the next one, sparring with her in a quick exchange of moves. He flicked his wrist and tapped one of his bracelets as if it had some secret function; when nothing happened, he simply continued his fight. You shook yourself out of your shock and ran to help, punching the agent closest to you before kicking him in the groin and pushing all of your weight against him to make him fall.

Before you could find your next target, a pair of hands grabbed you and pulled you aside. You tried to wiggle free but they were obviously enhanced and your strength was no match for theirs. You caught a glimpse of the kid in a heap on the ground and you screamed, trying even harder to break free and run to him before a needle stabbed your neck and the world went dark.


	2. Prisoner In Another World

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You’ve just been captured by HYDRA. Why are you here? What do they want with you?

You woke up in a dimly lit cell, your body aching badly as you tried to remember where you were.  _Oh, right. Marvel Universe. HYDRA._ You sighed, trying to push your emotions back down so you could think clearly. You felt your clothes first. Thin, rough material in the shape of basic scrubs replaced the comfy sweatshirt and leggings you had on earlier. Your face heated a little at the idea of someone changing you but you quickly gathered your thoughts and continued taking in your surroundings. You slowly turned on the cold, hard cot and scanned the room. It was metal and clean, almost clinical. There were bars in front of the door and another bed on the opposite side. You could see a figure sat on top of the bed, back leaning against the wall. You winced as a sharp pain shot up your neck, likely an effect of being drugged and sleeping on a metal slab.

“Hey, you’re finally awake.”

You froze, a bit startled to hear your cell mate talk. The voice sounded familiar but you were too woozy to place it at the moment. You tentatively sat up and squinted to see who it was through the shadows. You gasped as you recognized the boy from earlier, looking a little bruised but otherwise okay.

“Hey. You feeling as crappy as I am right now?” You teased, taking comfort in the fact that you weren’t alone.

“Yeah, they drugged me too. It must have been powerful stuff because I didn’t metabolize it until we were already here.” He looked at you with a heavy sadness in his eyes before continuing, “I’m so sorry I couldn’t save you.”

You shot him a confused look and responded, “What? Why should you have saved me? You seem young enough to still be in high school. I know I’m barely any older but I’m still the adult and I should’ve been protecting you.”

“No you don’t understand. I-I should’ve saved you. I’m supposed to be a hero and I failed. I failed.” He buried his face in his hands, curling his knees to his chest and pulling the thin blanket tighter around him.

Suddenly, it all clicked into place. How you missed it before was beyond you; he even looked a lot like the actor who played him in your universe. The way he sensed the soldiers before they were even there, his strength, the weird metal bands on his wrists, the skills he showed in the fight, the comment he made about his metabolism...

“You’re Spider-Man, aren’t you?”

He looked back up with tears in his eyes and nodded slowly.

“Hey, it’s okay. I don’t blame you at all. HYDRA did this, not you. They overpowered us. Their soldiers are enhanced and we were doomed as soon as they sent 10 of them to capture us. Okay? None of this is on you, kid.”

He wiped a tear from his cheek and nodded solemnly, seeming to be at least a little comforted by your words.

“What’s your name?” You knew already, but you had no energy to explain that you were from a different universe and you didn’t want to scare him more than he already was.

“Peter Parker. What’s yours?”

“I’m (Y/N) (Y/L/N). It’s nice to officially meet you Peter. How old are you?”

“I’m fifteen. What about you?”

Dang, that reminded you just how young this kid was in the MCU. He definitely wasn’t old enough to be dealing with this kind of stuff. “I’m nineteen, young side of my class though.” You responded after a second.

“Me too. So we both just finished being sophomores, me in high school and you in college.” He said with a smile.

“Yeah.” You smiled back at him.

You both sat in silence for a moment before an idea popped in your head. “Hey, Mr. Stark has trackers in your suits and weapons and stuff, right? Is there anything we can use, anything with a tracker they missed that can get a signal to the Avengers?”

“No, they broke the trackers in my web shooters right before they knocked me out. I got an emergency signal out to him but the last location he has is on West 4th Street.” A confused look crossed his face and he asked, “Wait, how did you know about Mr. Stark and the trackers? The three people closest to me are the only outsiders who know anything about that.”

_ Crap. _ You hadn’t meant to do that. You mulled over your options for a second before responding “It’s a very long story. I promise I’ll explain later but for now I think we both need to rest. God knows what they’ll be doing to us while we’re here. Try to sleep if you can.”

“Okay. Goodnight (Y/N).”

“Goodnight Peter.”

You both laid down on the hard metal beds, exhausted from the fight and the drugs. You wished you could sleep but you were way too anxious so you just laid there for a while and tried to process what was happening to you. The only thing that was certain was that you were determined to protect this sweet kid no matter what. 

———————————————————————

You and Peter bolted upright, startled when the overhead lights turned on and the door slammed open. A man in a white lab coat walked in wheeling a small metal table covered in supplies and two guards entered behind him. The doctor had gray hair, a gotee, and a sadistic look in his eyes. You instinctively looked at Peter, afraid they’d touch him first. Thankfully, most of their attention seemed to be on you. You turned and stared down the doctor, waiting for him to say something. He grinned and finally began, “Hello, children. I’m Dr. Williams. I’m sure you’re wondering why you’re here. Apologies for the drastic measures taken to bring you in, but we find that most of our targets aren’t very...cooperative.” 

A shiver went down your spine at his words but you kept a brave look on your face and snapped, “What do you want with us, creep? I get that he has abilities or whatever but why take us both? What use am I to you? What use is he to you when you already have enhancements for your soldiers that rival his own?”

The man chuckled and cooly responded, “So many questions. Patience, child. We’ll answer them soon.” His eyes scanned you for a moment before he grabbed some supplies and walked over to where you were sitting. “Now, I need to draw some blood samples. This may sting a little.” He quipped sarcastically.

You winced as the needle entered your arm but you stayed still nonetheless. He finally collected what he needed and yanked the needle away, walking back to the supply table as you rubbed the tender vein.  _ That’s going to leave a bruise. _ You watched him intently as he mixed a substance with your blood and it suddenly glowed bright blue. You were very curious as to what was happening but decided to stay quiet for fear he would hurt you or worse, Peter. He turned back toward you and you got a chill from the malicious gleam in his eye.

“So, you are the one we’ve been looking for.”

Your heart skipped a beat. “What?”

“Ah yes, allow me to explain. We finally got our hands on the Tesseract again for the first time in many years. We used its energy to open a portal to other dimensions, confirming the multi-verse theory. However, we were surprised to find that someone had gotten sucked through it and landed in this universe, ending up somewhere in New York City. Because of the nature of the portal and how far it had to go, some of the Tesseract’s energy got transferred to the person that went through it to keep them alive. We knew we had to find them and unlock their power. We couldn’t miss our chance to obtain the ultimate weapon.”

You gulped and quietly responded, “And that’s me?”

“Yes. As I said, we didn’t know where the portal had taken you outside of the fact that it placed you in New York City. Thankfully, an energy reader and our extensive identity records and surveillance throughout the city allowed us to find you, all alone with anyone who would miss you a universe away. Your friend here was just collateral damage when we finally moved to capture you. Although, our agents realizing they had an unconscious Spider-Man in their midst was a fun conversation.”

Your shock nearly paralyzed you but you managed to squeak out an “oh” in response. Peter’s eyes were glued to you as Dr. Williams explained what happened. You glanced back at him and mouthed “later”, noting his quick nod before turning back to where Dr. Williams stood.

“What do you want from me?”

He smiled happily. “Well, first we need to run some tests on you to see if we can unbind the Tesseract’s power so you can use it. I’m afraid that part won’t be pleasant. Then your time will be spent training, honing your power until we think you’re ready to move to the field.”

You nodded in understanding. “You can do whatever you want to me but I need you to promise that you’ll leave Peter alone if I cooperate. He’s just a kid and he has no part in this.”

The doctor shrugged his shoulders. “Fine, we won’t harm your friend as long as you do exactly as we say.”

You looked over at Peter and your resolve became rock hard. No one was going to hurt him on your watch. You summoned all of your courage and looked back toward the doctor. 

“Okay.”

“Excellent! We’ll come get you for the tests in a few hours.”

They exited the room and you let out a shaky breath. At least you finally knew how you got here. Your head was spinning with a million thoughts before Peter spoke up.

“(Y/N)?”

You looked over toward the other bed, your expression softening when you saw Peter’s kind face and wide eyes.  _ He looks so much like Charlie. He’s only a year older than him, too.  _ The thought of your little brother made you a bit emotional but you quickly steeled yourself and responded, “Yeah, Peter?”

He slowly got up and walked over to your bed, sitting himself next to you. He puzzled quietly for a minute before turning toward you and asking, “Are you really from another universe?”

You shrugged your shoulders and sighed. “Yeah, I guess so. That’s part of the long story I mentioned earlier. I woke up in this dimension literally right before you found me crying on the bench. The conversation with the doctor only filled in the blanks about how I got here.”

“Oh. Well, what’s the other part of the long story?”

You stayed silent for a moment, trying to find the right words to explain. “In my universe, you and the Avengers are characters in movies and comic books. That’s how I knew about Mr. Stark and the trackers. It seems like it’s slightly altered though because in the movies HYDRA wasn’t shown to get the Tesseract back.”

Peter’s eyes widened even more. “Woah.”

“Yeah, I know, right? I always thought I’d love to live in this world but I miss my family and friends and HYDRA happened and...” You choked back a sob as Peter laid a gentle hand on yours.

“Hey, it’ll be okay. We will get out of this, and if anyone can get you home, it’s Mr. Stark. I can tell you’re really strong so you just have to hold on, okay? I’ll be right here the entire time, too.”

You wiped a tear from your cheek. “Thank you, Peter.”

“Anytime. Now, you’ve been big-sistering me since we got here but it’s my turn to tell you something for once. You need to sleep. I can tell you didn’t get any earlier and they’ll be back in a few hours. You’ll need your strength for those tests.”

“Okay, okay.” You said as you let out a small laugh. “I’ll sleep. Will you wait with me though?”

“Of course.” He said with a smile. You leaned your head against his shoulder and closed your eyes. _I will survive this. I will survive and I will get home to the people I love. _ Repeating that like a mantra in your head, you finally fell asleep.

———————————————————————

You and Peter woke to the crash of the door opening again, both of you quickly sitting up. Dr. Williams was back along with a few guards. You trembled a bit as you knew you were about to go through a lot of pain. Peter noticed and discreetly grabbed your hand, trying to offer any comfort he could. Your eyes didn’t leave the doctor but you gave his hand a gentle squeeze to show your appreciation.

“All right, let’s go. No funny business. If you behave, your friend will be unharmed when you get back.”

“Fine.” You said, standing up slowly. Two of the guards grabbed your arms and you were quickly dragged from the room. The door locked behind you and the doctor began leading the little group down the long corridor. You took a mental note of the fact that half of the hallway opened up into the center of the building, a thin railing being the only barrier between you and a multi-story fall. _ Great. They can just throw me over the edge at any time.  _ You swallowed your fear and did your best to put on a blank face. You would not give these people the satisfaction of seeing how terrified you were. You had come to terms with your own mortality a long time ago when you got severely sick as a kid; if you could face that, you could face this.

Dr. Williams stopped in front of a door labeled “Lab Room 1” and opened it quickly, revealing a large room with a metal table and tons of equipment. The guards walked you to the table and you laid down on top of it without a fight. They pulled large leather straps over you and tightened them enough to make your breathing shallow. As soon as they were done, the doctor walked over and placed an IV in your arm without warning. It stung but it was thankfully a feeling you were used to. You’d had tons of IVs before. You tried to focus on your breathing as he hooked the tubing up to a large machine with a bluish-green liquid inside. “This will almost definitely hurt, but if our calculations are correct, it shouldn’t kill you.” The doctor said curtly, though you could in his eyes see how eager how was to get started. You nodded, internally screaming but still just wanting to get this over with. Dr. Williams then pressed a button and the liquid ran slowly down the tube until it finally reached your veins.

It was fire.

The second the first drop touched you, your whole body began to burn. It felt like it was molten lava coursing through your veins and it only got worse as more of the stuff went through the IV. You don’t remember when you started screaming, but you did. You writhed around but the restraints kept you solidly against the table. Tears were streaming down your face and your eyes were squeezed shut, trying to block out the world to no avail. When you opened them next, your usually (Y/E/C) eyes were electric blue, something the doctor noted gleefully. The burning continued as all of your veins were lit up as blue as your eyes. Bits of energy flowed from your fingertips, another thing the doctor was happy to write down. You couldn’t focus on that though. It felt like you were melting from the inside out and you couldn’t escape. Nothing registered except the pain.

And then everything went black.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello wonderful people! I hope you’re enjoying reading this as much as I’ve enjoyed writing it. We gave you a tiny bit more backstory here and your powers are about to come in to play so that’s exciting! Anyway, don’t hesitate to comment any suggestions you may have. Talk soon!


	3. The Price Of Power

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You’ve been trying to learn how to control your powers but it’s difficult and HYDRA is impatient. What will your new abilities cost you in the end?

*Two Weeks Later*

The guards threw you back into the cell, your already bruised body thudding painfully against the floor. They locked the door and Peter ran over to help you up. “(Y/N), are you all right? What happened?”

You slowly rose to your feet and Peter led you over to your bed where both of you sat down. “I’ll be okay. They threw a few punches again when I couldn’t aim the energy quite right. I’ve gotten better but it’s still hard because it’s so new.”

“I understand. It took me a while to get used to my powers too. You’ll get the hang of it.” He said confidently as he took your hand and leaned on your shoulder.

You sighed. “I hope so. I’m just glad they’re sticking to their word and not hurting you. I was not expecting that from HYDRA.”

Peter lifted his head and looked at you. “Me either. You know, if you need to fight back, I can take a few hits. Really, I have enhanced healing and everything! Don’t feel like you have to let them hurt you just to protect me.”

You laughed a little and ruffled his curly hair. “Not a chance, Spidey. I’ve handled worse and there’s no way I’m letting you get injured for my sake. I appreciate the offer but I’ll be okay. You already got caught up in this because you were helping me on the bench that day. I’m gonna be protective of you and you gotta deal with it.”

Peter groaned and slumped his head onto your shoulder again. “You know, you’re only 4 years older than me, (Y/N). I genuinely can take the punishment if you need to defend yourself. I hate seeing you all banged up like this.”

You wrapped your arms around the boy you now considered a second little brother and pulled him into a tight hug. “I know, kid. I’ll be fine, I promise. We just have to hold on until someone finds us, right?”

“Right.”

The two of you sat in silence for a little while, resting and finding what tiny bit of solace you could in the quiet moment. Suddenly, the door opened and you both bolted upright, startled by the appearance of Dr. Williams and several guards. _ What the heck is going on? They almost never come after training is over. _ The look on the doctor’s face sent a chill down your spine as you continued to hold Peter’s hand.

“Both of you come with us. Now.”

You and Peter stood up quickly, the guards grabbing your arms as soon as your feet hit the floor. You were taken back toward the main training room and the doctor opened the door with a loud thud. The fact that they brought Peter terrified you. You thought about using your new power to allow both of you to escape but the cuff on your wrist left your magic useless until they turned it off for training so that idea was out. The guards threw you and Peter into the room and went to lock the door while Dr. Williams checked on the supplies. As you grabbed Peter’s arm and stood both of you up, thousands of thoughts ran through your head.  _ Are they having another practice session? Why is Peter here? _ As you tried to piece the puzzle together, the guards came back and separated you and Peter, pulling him to the other side of the room. The doctor walked over to you with a nasty look in his eyes and hit the button on the remote to turn off your cuff before launching into the explanation.

“You have grown in your abilities, but not enough. We want you to progress faster. Hitting you didn’t help, so we needed a new tactic. You will successfully hit the targets or the boy gets hurt.”

Your heart sank deeper than ever before as you took in what he was saying. “I cooperated. You promised you wouldn’t touch Peter!!”

“Things change, Achlys.” He said bluntly. You winced at the nickname, still hating that they called you the Greek word for darkness as if you were evil personified.

The doctor grabbed you by the shoulders and pushed you toward the practice range at the end of the room. “Do it now. You know the price of your failure.”

You took a shaky breath and held out your hand.  _I can do this. I have to do this. For Peter._

You shot out a few small bursts of energy, aiming as carefully as you could and hoping it hit where it needed too.

It didn’t.

The doctor walked over and checked the target, obviously dissatisfied at the results. He looked at the guards holding Peter and nodded. In a flash, they held him down and started beating him.

“No!” You yelled as loud as your tired voice could manage. You started to run over to him but Dr. Williams held you back.

“You can stop it. Do what we want and they’ll let him go.”

You nodded through your tears and turned back toward the targets. You picked one and tried again, shooting very focused beams at the painted metal. The doctor walked over and checked your second attempt. Your heart nearly stopped when he shook his head, stating that it wasn’t good enough. He signaled to the guards again and they punched Peter even harder than before.

“Leave him alone!!” You shouted. The doctor grabbed you before you could move and the tears flowed freely down your face. “What if I practice telekinesis? I’m getting good at that. Just please stop hurting him!!” You pleaded with Dr. Williams but his gaze was as cold and steely as ever.

“No. You will do as we say or you both will suffer the consequences.”

You screamed. Everything flowed out of you now, showing itself in swirls of bright blue energy. Your eyes lit up as your power increased and you let your emotions take over. You thought about the hatred you felt for HYDRA, the love you felt for your family and friends a universe away, and the protectiveness you felt over Peter. Sweet, kind Peter who helped you when you were more alone than ever. Peter, who comforted you when you were homesick and tired. Peter, who insisted you defend yourself, even if it got him hurt.

It all burst out in an explosion of blue light and the doctor and guards were blown back. Before you could react or try to summon more energy to get you and Peter out of this hellhole, it shut off. Dr. Williams held up the remote that controlled the cuff on your wrist.

You were powerless.

And you had disobeyed.

“You’re gonna regret that.” The doctor spat at you. Suddenly, two large guards rushed you and pushed you down to the ground. They smacked you and slammed your head against the concrete again and again as you begged for them to stop, for someone to help. Out of the corner of your eye, you could see Peter unconscious on the floor several yards away.  _God, please let him be alive._ Tears flooded your face as the guards continued to beat you. Your vision blurred and your body numbed as you finally passed out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m living for soft brother and sister moments between you and Peter but yikess! They’re really putting you through the ringer, huh? Anyway, hope everyone is doing well! I promise I’ll eventually stop having the OC black out so much but it’s just the way the story has flowed so far lol. What are your thoughts on this chapter? What do you want to see in future chapters? Sending tons of love!


	4. The Great Escape

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After being prisoners for nearly a month, is the rescue you and Peter have been waiting for here at last?

It was almost twelve days after the incident in the training room. You and Peter were both still a bit weak, feeling the extent of your injuries very painfully. They had experimented on Peter a few days after the attack to block his healing ability so he was in just as bad of shape as you were. At the moment, you were both lying on your bed wrapped in threadbare blankets, using the body heat to try to get warm in the cold cell. You ruffled his hair a bit in an attempt to be comforting and playful at the same time. He just stuck his tongue out at you. You laughed, hurting your barely-healed ribs but you didn’t care. You were simply grateful to have a small moment of peace.

You could hear a sudden commotion outside, startling both you and Peter as you sat up on the hard metal bed.

“What was that?” Peter asked.

“I don’t know. You have enhanced hearing, does anything about the noise stick out to you?”

He quietly walked over to the door and listened, trying to make out some details in the confusion. He concentrated for a minute and a sudden grin spread across his face.

“(Y/N), it’s them! They found us!” Peter exclaimed, the relief palpable in his voice.

You stared at the front of the room in disbelief.  _ Are the Avengers finally here to rescue us? Can we actually escape this torture?_

Peter grabbed your hand and smiled. “It really is them. We’ll be okay now. Let’s step away from the door. They’re almost here.” You nodded and walked with Peter to the back wall.

The door and the bars behind it were knocked down a few seconds later and in the doorway stood Natasha, Steve, Tony, and Thor. You could hear an alarm blaring in the hallway but it didn’t seem like any guards were coming this direction. As soon as Peter saw Tony, he ran over to give him a hug with tears in his eyes, the big metal suit forgotten. “Mr. Stark! Mr. Stark, you found us!”

Tony opened his helmet and took the sobbing teen in his arms. “Yeah, kid. We  found you. We found you.” Peter then whispered something that caused him to look up in your direction. He saw you standing against the back wall with your arms curled protectively into your chest.

“Hey. What’s your name?” He asked as he walked over with Peter still holding onto his arm.

“I’m (Y/N). Thanks for rescuing us, Mr. Stark.” You responded, giving the best smile you could manage. 

“Anytime. Peter said you helped him a lot. Let’s get you out of here, huh?” You nodded excitedly, ready to leave this awful place. “Wait, what’s that on your wrist?” Tony said, pointing to the cuff that controlled your power. 

“Oh yeah, can you cut this off of me please? I have powers but this hinders them and I really want to help fight our way out of here if I can.”

“Sure, kid.” He said with a chuckle. He seared it off quickly with a focused beam from his suit, careful not to burn you.

You rubbed your wrist and gave Tony an appreciative nod as he stepped back and took a second to comfort Peter, handing the kid two small bracelets as he did so. Steve walked toward you and looked you over, taking in the scared yet determined girl he saw before him. “Hey, you doing okay?” He asked, a kind twinkle in his ocean blue eyes. 

“Yeah, I think so. Thanks again for coming.”

“Absolutely. Are you ready to head out? It’ll be an intense few minutes before we can get back to the jet.”

You squeezed your eyes shut for a moment, feeling all your power come rushing back to you. When you opened them, your veins glowed faintly and your irises were electric blue. “Let’s blow this popsicle stand.”

Steve smiled proudly and guided you back to where the rest of the small team stood before starting his pep talk. “Okay everyone, here’s the plan. We’re gonna force our way through this corridor and meet up with Clint and Sam in the control room. We’ll make sure they got the files we need and head down the east wing until we get outside to where Bruce is waiting with the jet. Any questions?” Everyone shook their heads no. “Good. Stay alert and watch each other’s backs. Especially you two.” He pointed at you and Peter. You both nodded. “We all have one job: tear these guys apart. You get hurt, you hurt them back. You get killed...walk it off. Ready? On my mark.” You all got into position, prepared to run at his command. You felt your power surging through you and it was amazing. You conjured some extra energy to your hands, happy to be able to fight back after being restrained and tortured for so long. 

“Go!”

Everyone bolted, you and Peter running side by side behind Steve and Tony with Natasha and Thor bringing up the rear. HYDRA agents poured in but you all were ready. Natasha expertly disarmed and knocked out seven of them before they could even call for help. A few yards away, Thor swung his hammer and used a concentrated lightening blast to take out a large group. You used your telekinesis to lift five of them off the ground at once and throw them over the railing into the middle of the building, dooming them to the lengthy fall. Steve threw his shield like a frisbee, hitting several agents in the head and disarming one before it flew back to his hand. Two more stood in front of him and, despite them pretty much matching his strength, a few perfectly placed punches and hits from his shield brought them to their knees. Peter knocked out four agents and webbed up anyone we left awake in your trail. Tony blasted the stragglers and threw a couple of them over the railing. Steve then waved you all on and you followed him down the hall to the control room, alarm still blaring. He threw the door open to reveal Sam and Clint at the computers.

“You guys ready? You get what you need?” He asked, catching Sam’s attention. Sam nodded and tapped Clint’s shoulder, pointing toward Steve. Clint turned around with a flash drive in his left hand and gave a quick statement in ASL. Steve nodded and everyone ran out of the room, prepared to fight at a moment’s notice. You suddenly froze, hearing familiar footsteps behind you as your torturer, Dr. Williams, walked up to your group with a dozen super-soldiers behind him. “Well, well. This is quite the jailbreak if I do say so myself. Achlys, are you sure that you want to do this? We will find you eventually, and it will be much less pleasant if we have to take you by force again.”

You seethed with anger, increasing the blue light that was flowing from your fingers. He started to walk toward you but you stood your ground. “No!! You will not control me anymore. I will not be HYDRA’s puppet. I will kill you all with my bare hands before I let you touch me or any other innocent person. Get away!!” At your last statement, you released the built up energy and sent Dr. Williams and his soldiers flying down the hall. You turned back toward the team and everyone started running again, taking advantage of your small head start. It didn’t take long for the soldiers to catch up to you though and soon you were all entangled in another fight. You used telekinesis to slam two of them into each other, effectively rendering them unconscious. You looked over at Peter as he was fighting off two soldiers himself. One of them was about to come at him with a knife while he was distracted with the other and you saw it just in time. “No!” You screamed, jumping in front of Peter to block the attack. Something sharp hit you in the side but you ignored it and used your force field to push the soldiers away from him. He looked at you wide eyed as he realized what just happened.

“Are you okay?” He shouted over the commotion.

“I’m fine.” You said quickly. “We need to go. NOW!” He nodded and you both bolted toward the rest of the team as everyone busted through the doors to get outside. Relief flooded your entire body as you saw the Quinjet in the grass a few hundred yards away. Suddenly, an idea hit you and you turned to face the place that had been your literal hell for the last month. You summoned all the energy you possibly could and sent a huge blast through the foundation of the building. You watched as it slowly started to crumble, knowing it would be deemed unsafe and totally useless to HYDRA within days. You turned back around and everyone, including Peter, was staring at you in shock, momentarily dumbfounded by the raw power you displayed. You blushed wildly before they thankfully shook it off and you all continued jogging to the jet. You kept up fine until pain abruptly paralyzed you and your hand flung to your side.

“(Y/N), are you okay?” Peter asked, extremely concerned.

You shook your head and removed your hand to show it covered in blood. Dark red spread through your shirt where the knife had entered your side when you jumped in front of Peter.

“Crap.” You said, your vision starting to blur as everyone quickly came to your aid. You nearly collapsed before Steve’s strong arms lifted you off the ground and he raced toward the jet carrying your limp body. You clung to him like a lifeline, feeling your consciousness slip away fast. The last thing you remembered was Steve placing you on a hard bed and grabbing your hand, his compassionate voice telling you that you were going to be okay.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yayy you’re with the Avengers! You’re unconscious again but you’re not in prison so baby steps haha. I hope you guys liked this chapter! As always, feel free to comment any ideas you have for the story :)


	5. Safe And Sound

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You’re finally free from HYDRA, but it came at a cost. You were badly hurt, and now it’s time to see if you can recover.

It was cold and you were too tired to open your eyes. You could feel your senses slowly returning to you but all you wanted to do was sleep. The pain in your side soon overtook you though so you knew sleep would be futile. You could feel all kinds of tubes and wires hooked up to you, trying to keep you alive. You started to open your eyes before bright fluorescent lights blinded you and you squeezed them back shut.  _ Okay, I can do this. Slowly this time. _ You gently opened your eyes again, blinking a bit to let them adjust. Once you could see clearly, you moved your head and looked around. You were in what seemed like a hospital room, only this one was huge and the bed was extremely comfortable.  _ This must be the Med Bay in the Avengers Tower. _ You could see another bed next to you, the mass of curly brown hair on the pillow telling you Peter was there. You smiled, so relieved that he was safe. 

You sluggishly turned your head to the opposite side and were surprised to find Thor asleep in the chair beside you, a box of Pop-Tarts sitting on his lap. You giggled and wrapped the blanket tighter around your shivering body.  The sound of your laugh must have woken him up because Thor was yawning and stretching a second later. He looked toward you and gave you a bright smile. “Hello Lady (Y/N)! I’m glad to see you regain consciousness. Here, take a drink of water.” He said, grabbing a cup from the bedside table and holding the straw to your lips. You took a long, satisfying drink before he set the cup down again and continued. “The young Spiderling told us your story, quite the interesting tale! How are you feeling now?”

“I’ll be okay, I’m just tired. Thank you for sitting with me, Thor.” You responded, your voice hoarse from disuse.

“It’s my pleasure! Do you need anything? Blankets, food, medication? You appear to be a bit cold.”

“Maybe an extra blanket and some pain meds?” You asked meekly, feeling weird asking for anything from people who had already shown you great kindness.

Thor just smiled. “Absolutely! I shall get the warmest blanket I can find and call a nurse in for the medication.” You nodded in appreciation as Thor set his Pop-Tarts aside and ran to grab everything. He returned in less than a minute with a large, fluffy blanket and a nurse trailing in behind him. She walked over to the cabinet to grab some supplies as Thor placed the blanket on top of you and gently tucked you in.  _ Awe, he’s just as sweet as he appears in the movies_ _._ Once he was satisfied that you were warm, he sat back down and grabbed a package of Pop-Tarts from the half-empty box. The nurse came over a second later and started pushing the meds through the IV in your arm.

“Hey, Thor? How’s Peter doing?” You asked, concern lacing your tired voice.

“He’s doing fine, he just needs to rest. You need to sleep as well Lady (Y/N), your injuries were severe and you have had quite the adventure these last few weeks. Stark and Banner are working on a project but they will be in to check on you both later. We’re all taking shifts to keep an eye on you and Peter so don’t worry, you’re safe.”

“Thank you.” You slurred, the pain meds already overtaking you. Thor laughed and responded, “Of course. Now, get some rest or Banner will have his large green alter ego beat me up for keeping you awake!” You gave a soft chuckle and nodded, feeling more comfortable than you had in weeks as the meds worked their magic and pulled you into a deep sleep. 

———————————————————

You woke up again to see Bruce working on something at the supply station in the corner and Natasha sitting in the chair next to you reading a book. You yawned and stretched your limbs, still aching a bit but feeling better. The wound in your side hurt but you could tell it was finally healing. Most of the tubes were gone, leaving only your IV and a few wire leads on your chest. Natasha looked up and smiled when she saw you were awake. “Hey, kid. How you feeling?”

“Hi. I’m doing okay. Thank you guys again for helping us.” You said as you sleepily smiled back at her. “Oh, how long have I been out?”

“We brought you here about a week ago but you haven’t woken up at all for a few days. Peter told us what happened with HYDRA and everything. I’m so sorry you had to go through that. We’re here for you now, okay?” She said as she gently placed her hand on top of yours.

“I really appreciate that.” You responded, grateful for the comfort she offered. You turned to look at the bed next to you, surprised to find it empty. “By the way, where is Peter?” You asked tentatively as you turned back toward Natasha.

“He’s fine, I promise. Dr. Banner rebooted his enhanced healing and he’s tinkering in the lab with Tony now. Oh, that reminds me. Bruce, do you want to tell (Y/N) about the project you and Tony have been working on?” She said, letting go of your hand and grabbing her book.

“Oh, yeah, of course!” Bruce said, standing up and smiling as he walked over. He stood beside your bed and showed you the tablet he was holding, explaining, “So, we were able to trace the Tesseract energy in your blood back to where it entered you and it helped us determine which universe you were from. We’re working on a portal but it’ll take around a month to get it up and running. We did, however, manage to upgrade a phone so you can call your family and friends and tell them you’re safe.” As he said this, he grabbed a device out of his pocket and handed it to you. “Go on, it’s okay.”

You took the phone gratefully, tears streaming down your face. _ I can talk to them again! I can actually hear their voices! _ You enveloped Bruce in a hug and, after a second of shock, he returned the gesture.

“Thank you.” You whispered as you released him.

“Anytime. Now, your scans all look good. It was a close call but you’re on the mend. You still need to rest so I’m going to have you stay in the Med Bay for the remainder of the day and then we’ll get you a real room tonight, okay?” You nodded in understanding as he continued, “Great. All right, I gotta go help Tony in the lab but Nat will keep you company for a while. See you guys later!” He said cheerfully as he walked out of the room.

Natasha turned toward you. “Okay, you go ahead and get in touch with your family, I’ll get FRIDAY to order us some food. Anything in particular sound good to you?” As she asked the question, your stomach rumbled, eliciting a laugh from both of you. “What about pasta?” You said eagerly. You were absolutely starving. “Sounds perfect.” She said with a smile.

While Natasha ordered you guys some dinner, you started up the phone and typed in your mom’s number. Thankfully, she picked up on the second ring. You were so relieved to hear her voice, and you could tell she felt the same way. She gave you a half-hearted lecture for being MIA for so long and scaring her to death but she backed off when you told her what happened. You were both major science nerds and you had discussed the multi-verse theory before so that made it slightly easier to explain. Once you reassured her that you were safe with the Avengers and you’d try to make your way home soon, she seemed to finally let go of some of her worry.   


After lots of I love yous and promises to call again within the next two days, you hung up and texted a few of your friends to tell them you were okay. You were so glad that you were old-fashioned enough to memorize the numbers of the people closest to you. You told your friends that you’d call and explain soon before shutting off the phone and digging into the pasta Natasha had set in front of you. It tasted heavenly after the meager and bland meals HYDRA had been feeding you. You enjoyed Natasha’s company as the two of you sat and got to know each other for a bit. You could tell she was guarded but she still answered your questions and smiled as you told her stories of your college adventures. After a while, you decided to watch a movie together to pass the time. You laughed and joked with her, finally feeling safe and happy after everything that you’d been through.

A knock on the door caught your attention and you paused the movie as Tony and Peter walked in. A smile lit up your face when you saw Peter all healed up and looking like his old self.

“(Y/N)! You’re finally awake!” He said as he ran to envelop you in a hug.

You happily returned the gesture, wrapping your arms around the boy who had just walked through hell with you. “Yeah, kid. I’m awake.” Peter lifted his head and smiled at you, the kind of smile that could light up the whole world. You both just sat and continued to hold each other for a minute as Tony walked over. He ruffled your hair with one hand and Peter’s with the other, earning some giggles out of both of you.

“How you doing, Bambi? Underoos explained what happened and I promise we’ll do everything we can to help.”

You nodded. “Thanks, Mr. Stark. I’m doing oka-“ You stopped suddenly, processing what he had just said. “Bambi? Really?”

Tony laughed. “Hey, I have to give everyone an embarrassing nickname at some point. The freckles on your cheeks make you look like Bambi so that’s what I’m going to call you. Get used to it, kid.” You stuck your tongue out at him, making him laugh even harder before he settled himself down and continued talking. “By the way, thank you. Peter said you did everything you could to keep him safe in there. I owe you big time. I don’t know what I’d do if something happened to him.”

“Awe Mr. Stark...” Peter said, getting up and giving him a hug. Tony wrapped his arms around the kid and held on tight.

“It was no problem. Peter and I helped each other. He’s like a little brother to me now. And you’re currently building a portal to send me home so I think we’re even.” You said with a smile.

Tony smirked a little. “Yeah, maybe. Okay, what do you say we get you an official room? It’s getting late and you need to rest in a real bed. Plus, it’s almost your bedtime, Peter. Your aunt, pretty as she may be, will not hesitate to kill me if you don’t get enough sleep.”

Peter groaned into his mentor/father-figure’s chest. “Mr. Starkkk...”

Tony pulled back a bit and gave the kid a stern look. “Nuh-uh, no arguing. You just spent weeks as a prisoner of HYDRA, we’re going to make you rest up. Let us take care of you for a little while, you had us all worried sick.”

“Listen to your father, Spiderboy. You need to sleep.” Natasha chimed in, a mixture of sarcasm and concern in her voice.

Peter rolled his eyes at her comment. “All right, you guys win, but can we at least grab some ice cream from the kitchen first?”

Tony chuckled. “Of course, kiddo.”

A minute later, Natasha was disconnecting you from the wires and IV drip and helping you get out of bed. She and Tony tried to get you in a wheelchair but you insisted that you needed to build up your stamina. Natasha just rolled her eyes and gripped your arm, telling you to lean on her so you didn’t fall. You were a bit wobbly but with Natasha’s help you managed to follow Tony and Peter down the corridor to the elevator without any issues. You rode up to the 70th floor and the elevator opened into a large and stunning common area that served as a living room, dining room, and kitchen. It was very upscale but still comfortable enough to seem livable.

“This is the main residential floor.” Tony explained. “Everyone lives here full-time except Thor, Clint, Peter, and Rhodey; Thor and Clint stay after late missions and maybe one or so weekends a month before going back home and Rhodey’s here even less. Peter stays weekends during the school year and weeknights during the summer. I have my penthouse a few floors above but we mainly use that for important guests. Pepper and I have a huge suite down the hall so we usually just stay there. The bedrooms are right over here. On this side we have Steve, Bucky, Sam, Natasha, and Clint’s rooms. On the other side, we have Bruce, Thor, Vision, Pietro, Wanda, and Peter’s rooms. Pepper and I’s place at the very end way over there and Rhodey just stays in the second bedroom in our suite whenever he’s here. Oh, this one is yours.” He said, stopping in front of a room in the middle of the right side of the hall. 

He opened the door and led you inside to a beautiful space with white walls, a huge bed with a soft grey comforter, a flatscreen TV, a large closet with a mini fridge inside for snacks and drinks, an average-sized bathroom with modern finishes, a small desk with a comfortable-looking office chair, and a whole wall made of glass that overlooked the New York City skyline.

“What do you think? There’s also a couple of guest rooms on the other side of the floor if you wanted to loo-“ Tony was cut off by you giving him a hug, shocking him for a second before he awkwardly patted your back.

“Thank you.” You whispered to him before letting go.

A small smile crept on his face. “You’re welcome, Bambi. Here, let’s get you set up with FRIDAY. Say your name.”

“(Y/N).”

A computerized ding sounded throughout the room before a chipper voice spoke up. “Hello Miss (Y/N). I am FRIDAY. I will now be able to respond to your voice commands.”

“Cool!” You said with a smile.

Tony let out a soft laugh. “Yeah, it is pretty cool. Now, get some sleep. I’ll have FRIDAY wake you up for breakfast tomorrow. There’s some fresh clothes for you in the closet and the whole team is excited to officially meet you. Come on Underoos, let’s get that ice cream.” He said, slinging an arm over Peter’s shoulders and walking him out of the room. You turned back around and stared out the window, in awe of the gorgeous view as the buildings glittered against the dark night sky. The moment only lasted for a second before your legs got wobbly again and Natasha had to grab your arm and catch you.

“All right, let’s get you in bed, kid.” She said softly. You nodded and leaned your head against her shoulder, absolutely exhausted. She gently set you on the edge of the cushy mattress and pulled back the covers. Once you laid down and got settled, she adjusted the blankets over you and made sure you were plenty warm.

“Okay, are you comfortable?” She said, sitting down beside you and fluffing your pillow a bit.

“I’m all right, Nat. Thank you for keeping me company today.” You responded, giving her a sleepy smile.

She gave you a kind smile back. “Anytime solnyshka*. Get some rest, I’ll see you tomorrow.” She took a moment to tuck a strand of hair behind your ear before standing up and walking out, quietly shutting the door behind her. Natasha was usually very intimidating but she seemed to be sweet on you. You were really grateful she was there with you today. Talking and laughing and watching movies with her distracted you from the pain you felt about being so far from home. Alone with your thoughts, you finally let yourself process it.  _Will I ever be able to see Mom and Charlie again? And what about Katie and Emma and all of my friends who are basically my sisters?_

You didn’t have a huge family since your dad left years ago and it was just you, your mom, and your brother. However, some of your friends had become like family to you and you missed everyone deeply. As amazing as it was to be in the care of the Avengers, a piece of you was left behind with the people you loved.  _Tony and Bruce are going to help. I will get home._ You reassured yourself, forcing your anxious mind to believe it. After a few minutes, your exhaustion took over and you fell into a restful sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Solnyshka: Transcript of the Russian word солнышко meaning “sunshine” or “little sun”
> 
> Thor and Pop-Tarts! Soft Nat moments! You getting a nickname from Tony! Haha anyway this was a bit of a filler chapter but I hope y’all still enjoyed it. Just an FYI, this is the last chapter I already had pre-written so the posting will slow down just a tad from here on out (like 1 chapter every 1-3 days instead of 2-3 per day).


	6. Life At The Tower

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You’re slowly healing and ready to spend a normal day with the Avengers.

You woke up to gentle sunlight beaming through the huge window. Your eyes were stinging and swollen from tears that you didn’t even remember crying. You vaguely recalled having a nightmare about your time at HYDRA but you didn’t think the dream had affected you that much. _So much for a good night’s_ _sleep_. You sighed, feeling very emotionally drained and wishing you could just stay in bed for a few more hours. Oh well. You’d have to move on, you had a busy day ahead. You looked over at the clock beside your bed and it told you that it was exactly 7:40am.

“Hello Miss (Y/N). Mr. Stark wanted me to inform you that breakfast will be ready in approximately 20 minutes. Sam is making waffles and everyone is looking forward to meeting you. Do you need anything as you get ready?”

“I’m all good, thanks FRIDAY.” You responded as you slowly pulled yourself out of bed. Thankfully, your legs were much steadier than they had been the night before. The wound on your side still hurt a bit but overall you felt better than you had in a while. You went into the closet and opened up a few of the drawers to see what clothes you could find. You settled on a comfy yet cute green t-shirt with flowers on it and stretchy blank athletic pants. You ran to the bathroom to jump in the shower, making sure to be as quick as possible. The hot water did wonders for your sore limbs and puffy cheeks and you felt immensely better afterwards. Once you were done, you brushed your teeth and pulled your wet hair into a neat ponytail. You threw on the clothes, grateful to find that they fit you perfectly, and ran back to the room to grab some socks.   


You looked at the clock again and saw that it was 8:00am. Smiling at your for once flawless timing, you opened the door and headed down the hall. The smells from the kitchen were heavenly as you made your way to the common area. Most of the team was already there, talking and laughing as they milled about. Suddenly, large arms grabbed you and lifted you off the ground. “Lady (Y/N)!” A thunderous voice said happily.

You chuckled. “Hey Thor! It’s good to see you. I thought you would’ve had to be back at Asgard by now!”

The god smiled as he put you down. “I must return later today but I had to share at least one meal with our brave new warrior!” You blushed a little but smiled back at him gratefully as the two of you walked over to where everyone else was hanging out. Wanda and Vision saw you first and gave you gentle waves and kind smiles from where they were snuggled on the couch. You happily returned the gesture. Sam, Bucky, and Tony were busy in the kitchen, fighting over the best way to make scrambled eggs. Peter was perched on a cabinet a few feet away from Tony, looking happy as ever. 

Steve and Natasha walked over from where they were sitting at the kitchen counter, looking a little concerned but still glad to see you. Natasha pulled you in for a quick hug and Steve placed a gentle hand on your shoulder. “How are you feeling?” He asked, obviously worried.

“I’m doing okay, I promise. I’m definitely still sore but that’s about it.” You could see the relief on both of their faces as you said that. Steve smiled. “I’m glad to hear it. You gave us quite the scare. Don’t hesitate to ask if you need anything, okay?” 

“I won’t. Thank you.”

Tony then walked over to where you were standing. “All right, Bambi, you ready to eat? Sam may be annoying but he actually makes an amazing waffle.” He said, giving you a light noogie.

Steve sighed. “Really, Tony? You gave the kid a nickname too? You can’t call anyone by their actual name?”

Tony grinned. “Of course I gave her a nickname, Capsicle. I wouldn’t be me if I missed such a golden opportunity.”

“No, I guess not. Less irritating maybe, but it wouldn’t be you.” Natasha said, a teasing glint in her eyes.

“Yeah, yeah, whatever, Triple Threat. Come on, let’s eat before it gets cold.” Tony turned around and headed toward the table, the three of you following after him. Everyone else slowly made their way over and sat down, ready to pile their plates high. Sam spoke up. “Hey, has anyone seen Clint? He was here yesterday and he’s almost always awake by now.” Everyone shook their heads no. Peter sat still for a few seconds before flicking his wrist and shooting a web at a vent cover a few feet away. He gave it a quick pull and Clint came tumbling out, rolling to soften the impact before coming to a stop on his knees.   


The man stood quickly and sighed like he was used to it, adjusting his hearing aids as he walked toward the dining area. “It’s always the kid that catches me! Seriously Tony, did you have to bring the one high schooler with super-senses to live with us?” He complained.

Peter rolled his eyes. “Whatever, Uncle Clint. Come on, it’s time to eat and you love Sam’s waffles.” 

Clint smirked. “Can’t exactly argue with that logic.” He took a seat and had a short exchange with Natasha in ASL while everyone continued filling their plates. Conversation bubbled up around the table, everyone talking about what they should watch for movie night or the latest weapon upgrades they wanted Tony and Peter to make for them. You just smiled and took it all in, occasionally giving your opinion in between bites of food.  _This is nice. It feels like family_. A twinge of sadness tugged at your chest at that thought. It felt like there was a weight sitting where your heart should be. 

Peter was sitting next to you and he must have noticed something off because he looked over and mouthed “Are you okay?” You gave him a soft smile and a nod, doing your best to push the feelings down. He didn’t look entirely convinced but he let it drop for now. Suddenly, Tony spoke up from across the table. “Okay, kid. We know you know a bit about us from the movies and stuff in your universe but we don’t know much about you. Would it be all right if we asked you a few questions?” 

“Sure, why not?” You responded. 

“Great. First question: is the actor me in your universe as handsome as the real me? Be honest here.”

“No. He’s much more good-looking.” You said with a smirk. That earned you laughs from all around the table. 

“I like her.” Natasha said, her previously stoic expression fading into a grin.

“Me too.” Bucky chimed in, a look of amusement in his eyes.

“I don’t! She’s rude and apparently a liar, too!” Tony said indignantly, throwing a piece of waffle at you. You caught it easily in a swirl of blue energy. 

“What, did you forget I had telekinesis?” You quipped, tossing the food back in Tony’s direction. Wanda gave you a smile. “That’s right, you got your powers from the Tesseract. If you don’t mind me asking, what abilities do you have?” She asked.

You shrugged. “Honestly, I don’t know all of them yet. Telekinesis, energy blasts, and force fields are the main ones HYDRA had me use while I was there. They mentioned teleportation but they said I needed to practice the others first to develop my power or something. That part’s a little bit fuzzy so I don’t remember exactly what they said.”

“I completely understand. You know, some of our abilities are pretty similar. Do you maybe want to train together after breakfast? I’ve had my powers for a few years and I could give you some pointers if you feel up to it.”

“Really? That’d be amazing! Thank you, Wanda.” She shot you an excited smile and continued to eat.

Steve turned toward you. “Can you tell us a little bit about your life back home, (Y/N)? You don’t have to answer if you don’t want to but I find that the easiest way to get to know someone is to ask for their backstory.” 

That heaviness came back to your chest but you decided to answer anyway. “Yeah, I can do that. Uh, so I go to college at Colombia and I have a really good group of friends there. My mom and my brother are the only blood family I have since my dad left years ago. I grew up in a small town in Indiana and we have a lot of farms not far from my neighborhood. I like to read a lot, I guess? I don’t know, I think that’s about it. You guys already heard the rest about, you know, getting abducted and everything.” You looked around the table and thankfully no one gave you a look of pity. Their expressions showed more of a quiet understanding. 

Steve spoke up again. “I appreciate you sharing that. I know these last few weeks have been awful but you’re among friends now. We got your back, okay?” You nodded and gave a gentle smile in response. Conversations continued as people finished their food but you stayed silent, giving yourself a second to work through your emotions. 

Tony pushed his plate back and sighed. “That was delicious, but we all better get to work. Underoos, you’re with me. We have a lot of projects that we need to finish. Bambi, take it easy in training, okay? You’re still healing so no hand-to-hand combat and nothing too strenuous.” 

“Sir, yes sir.” You said with a mock salute, giggling to yourself. Tony gave you a playful glare, pretending to be frustrated by your antics.

“Don’t worry, I won’t push her too hard. I just want to use today to get a feel for her abilities. Plus, it’ll be nice to get to know another girl my age.” Wanda said. You smiled. When you watched the movies, you had always thought you and Wanda would be good friends.

Everyone got up and went their separate ways. Wanda quickly grabbed your hand and dragged you toward the elevator, pushing the button for the 50th floor. 

“You’ll love the training room. It’s huge and has a lot of stuff for people to practice enhancements on. It’ll be perfect for us to see what you can do.” She said excitedly. You nodded, actually looking forward to testing your powers for once. You both stepped off the elevator and Wanda opened the double doors into a huge gym. Right as she did so, a blur of blue light seemed to run right in front of her.

“Hey, be careful Pietro! You could trample someone if you’re not paying attention.” She said, walking into the room as the blur came to a stop next to her.

“Sorry. I’ll try to do better at watching where I’m going while running at the speed of sound.” Her brother taunted. Wanda gave him a punch on the arm and they both laughed. “You missed breakfast, by the way. Go get some food before you literally run yourself into the ground.” She said. Pietro nodded and turned around, freezing when he saw you standing against the wall next to the doorway. You locked eyes for a moment, his piercing gaze making your stomach flutter with butterflies.

“Wanda, who’s your pretty friend?” He asked with a smirk, looking back toward his sister. She rolled her eyes. “That’s (Y/N), remember? The girl they brought back when they went to get Peter from HYDRA? For someone with supercharged brain activity, you really are clueless sometimes. Now seriously, get out. We need to train.” She said, nudging him toward the door.

“All right, all right, I’m going.” He responded with a laugh. He stopped in front of you and grabbed your hand, bringing it to his lips with a smile. “It was nice to meet you, printesa. I look forward to getting to know you.” You could feel your cheeks heating up at the strangely intimate gesture. He then winked and super-sped out of the room. 

Wanda mumbled something in Sokovian as she walked over to close the door. She turned towards you. “Okay, ready?” You nodded and followed her over to the center of the training area, still speechless from the shock of seeing Pietro alive. You had heard Tony mention his name when he gave you the tour last night but you were too tired to comprehend it at the time.  _ Maybe some things in this universe are altered for the better.  _ You were pulled from your thoughts when Wanda asked, “So, do you want to try making a force field first?” 

You shut off your rambling mind so you could focus and responded, “Sure, sounds great!”

———————————————————

Two hours (and lots of breaks) later, you and Wanda were practicing telekinesis with a set of large weighted blocks. “Good. Now try to rotate it again and set it down on top of the others.” She commanded. You nodded and turned it slightly before it slipped from your grip and fell. You buried your face in your hands. “Ugh, I’m never gonna get this.” You muttered.

Wanda gave you a kind look and pulled your arms down, taking your hands into hers. “Yes, you will. The others saw you fight and we can all tell that you’re extremely powerful. I know HYDRA literally beat it into you that you were a failure for not getting it right on the first try but you’re not. It takes time to learn how to use these kinds of powers and you’ve only had yours for a month. I promise it’ll happen, it just takes patience.”

You nodded. “Thank you. I needed that.”

She smiled. “Anytime. Now, when you’re turning something, the motion is all in the wrist. See?” She demonstrated the movement and you copied her a few times.

“Ready to try again?” She asked.

“Yes.”

An hour later, you both decided to call it quits. You had gotten better at focusing your energy blasts and you were slightly more refined with your telekinesis, even if the progress was painstakingly slow. You hopped back on the elevator and headed up to the residential floor, chatting with Wanda about your favorite shows on Netflix. You both liked Stranger Things so you decided to binge-watch some episodes together that coming weekend. Stepping out of the elevator, you saw that the common area was mostly empty except for Steve and Bucky watching a movie together in the living room. They turned when they heard you and Wanda come in. Steve shot you both a warm smile.

“Hey! How was training?” He asked.

“It was really good.” You responded. “Wanda’s going to be a big help with learning how to use my abilities.”

Bucky beamed and stated, “That’s awesome, kid. I know you didn’t exactly get them in the easiest way but using what HYDRA gave you for good is a great first step to healing.”

“I guess you can speak from experience, huh?” You said, grinning back at him.

“Yeah. I guess so.” He answered with a thoughtful look in his eyes.

You and Wanda said goodbye to Steve and Bucky and walked down to the main hallway. You thanked her for the training and headed to your room, absolutely exhausted. The team would probably be having lunch in about an hour so you decided to take a nap while you waited. You told FRIDAY to wake you up when it was time to eat and collapsed on your bed, falling asleep instantly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m sorry this took me a hot minute to update but you finally met Pietro! This is a slow burn so it’s going to take some time before anything becomes official. I promise it will happen eventually but I wanted to develop your relationships with the other Avengers too. I really enjoyed writing all the cute fluff in this chapter and the Avengers acting like a family gives me so much serotonin. I hope you guys enjoyed it! As always, let me know if you have any suggestions :)


	7. Nightmares And Daydreams

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You’re really enjoying your time with the Avengers but you’re struggling more than you let on. Will you be able to pick up the pieces?  
> TW: Description of panic attacks

The rest of that afternoon was nice and chill. You got up from your nap and had lunch with the team, enjoying everyone’s company. Thor and Clint had gone home already but Pepper made an appearance so that was cool. She was kind and the way she and Tony looked at each other was adorable. Pietro wasn’t at lunch and you’d be lying if you said you weren’t a little disappointed. He was a major flirt but something still just drew you to him. You didn’t dwell on it too much though as you had a lot of other stuff on your mind.   


You kept thinking about your family and that heavy feeling in your chest just wouldn’t go away. Hanging out and laughing with everyone helped but you still felt off. Once lunch was over, you excused yourself to your room for a while and called your mom and some of your friends. It was amazing to be able to talk to them and hearing their voices dulled the ache a little. Your friends also got a kick out of seeing you demonstrate your new powers over FaceTime.

After around two hours, you shut off the phone and decided to watch TV for a bit. You got through two episodes before you were extremely bored. You grabbed a water bottle from your fridge and decided to explore the building.  _ Maybe there’s a library somewhere.  _ With that mission in mind, you headed out of your room and down the hall. You made your way to the elevator and saw Bucky and Natasha standing next to it. They turned when they heard you come in and gave you kind smiles as you continued in their direction.

“Hey, what’s up solnyshka?” Natasha said.

“Hey Nat! Not much, I just figured I’d wander around for a little while and see what all is here. I was hoping to find a library and get my hands on some good books.” You responded.

She chuckled. “The library’s on the 59th floor. I think you’ll like it. Oh, Bucky and I were just going down to the training room to spar if you want to watch. I’ll be giving you lessons once you’re healed and it could be good for you to get familiar with it first.”

You smiled. “Sure, that sounds fun!”

“Yeah, you’ll love watching me kick her butt.” Bucky said with a teasing tone in his voice.

Natasha rolled her eyes. “In your dreams, old man.”

You let out a soft laugh at their antics. The three of you stepped onto the elevator and headed down to the gym. You plopped yourself on the bleachers and watched Bucky and Natasha go at it for a straight hour. It was really cool to see them in action. They took a short break and then continued for another hour before calling it quits. Natasha came and sat next to you while Bucky went to fill up his water.

“What did you think?” She asked, a small smile on her lips.

“That was amazing! I still can’t believe you’re gonna teach me. I don’t feel like I deserve it. I don’t deserve any of this, really.”

Natasha was often hard to read but something like fondness seemed to cross her face at your comment. Just then, Bucky came over and sat down on your other side.

“Of course you deserve it, kid. You were ripped away from your home, imprisoned and experimented on by HYDRA, and then stabbed within an inch of your life. If anyone deserves it, it’s you.” He said, ruffling your hair affectionately.

You giggled and managed a gentle smile. “Thanks, Bucky. I really appreciate that.”

He smiled back at you. “Anytime. Now come on, let’s get cleaned up for dinner. I hear Wanda is making enchiladas.” 

———————————————————

The next week and a half passed by quickly. You spent your time doing all kinds of stuff with different Avengers. You and Sam liked to pull little pranks on everyone else. Wanda would practice your abilities with you and then you’d pile into bed to watch Stranger Things together. You would sometimes help Vision cook, taste-tasting the different dishes he made. Natasha taught you about different weapons since Bruce didn’t clear you for official combat training yet. You, Bucky, and Steve would watch old movies in the living room and compare them to today’s cinema. You and Pietro would run into each other occasionally and chat for a bit, making you smile for hours afterward. However, a lot of your time was spent hanging out in the lab with Tony and Peter. 

You enjoyed getting to know everyone immensely but it was especially interesting to watch Tony work. You were really good at the basics of physics but his projects were on another level. You learned more in a few afternoons in the lab than in a semester of class at Colombia. Every time you or Peter helped him figure out an equation, Tony got the biggest look of pride on his face. Of course, it would be replaced with a look of annoyance when he would find you both goofing off. He definitely held a soft spot for you two though and he could never stay mad for long.

It was Friday evening (one of two of the Avengers weekly movie nights) and you three were in the lab testing out a different kind of laser for Tony’s suit. Steve came down and said that dinner was ready, pulling you all from your work. The four of you rode up the elevator and stepped out into the common area. Steve sat down at the dining table and went back to the book he was previously reading. Tony and Peter found some empty barstools at the counter, chatting about their ideas for the new repulsers. You decided to head into the kitchen where Sam was finishing everything up.

“Hey Sam! The food smells amazing.” You said with a grin. You looked at the bowl he was currently mixing. “Ohh chocolate chip cookies!”

Sam chuckled. “Yeah, they’re for movie night. They’re my favorite thing to bake.”

“And they’re my favorite thing to eat.” You said with a smirk as you used your telekinesis to sneak a bite of dough into your hand. Unfortunately, Sam noticed.

“Hey! Put that back!” He said indignantly.

“You’re gonna have to catch me first!” You responded as you started running away.

“Come back here you little shit!” Sam snapped, a lightly sarcastic yet also deadly serious tone in his voice. He moved to run after you but you were already in the living room so he gave up. Right as he turned back toward the mixing bowl, Peter was pulling a web across the counter with a piece of cookie dough for himself. Sam just sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. “Stark, control your children please.”

Tony laughed. “It serves you right for that stunt you pulled with my coffee a few weeks ago. And for gosh sakes, you need to watch your language Sam! You can’t go around calling teenagers ‘little shits’ while Cap is in the room!”

Steve looked up from his book. “I’m never going to live that down, am I?” He groaned.

Tony smirked at him. “Nope.”

You giggled to yourself as you listened to the exchange. You quickly ate the bite of delicious dough and then sat down on the couch next to Wanda. The two of you talked for a few minutes before Sam called out that the food was ready. Everyone got up and made their way to the kitchen. A sudden voice behind you caught your attention.

“Hello again, printesa.”

You turned around to see Pietro standing there, his striking blue eyes causing butterflies to flutter in your stomach like always.

“Hi Pietro. Did you have a good day?” You asked, a soft smile on your face.

“It was actually pretty boring until now.” He said cooly, giving you a handsome smirk.

You were tempted to roll your eyes but you settled for crossing your arms over your chest. “We’ve been living together for over a week and yet you continue to flirt like we just met. Are you like this with every girl?”

“Only the cute ones.” He said with a wink.

You blushed a tiny bit at that but you managed to retain your aloof posture. “Uh huh. Anyway, I’m going to get my food. Catch up some other time?” You said, turning on your heels and walking toward the kitchen. 

Dinner was delicious and the atmosphere was as pleasant as ever if you didn’t count the distracting looks Pietro was giving you from across the table. It was basically a mealtime ritual for you two at this point. You met his gaze once and locked eyes for a few seconds before turning away and taking another bite of food. Vision looked between you and Pietro quizzically for a moment, trying to figure out what that interaction was about. You just sighed and continued on with your meal. You liked Pietro a lot but you really didn’t want to hurt him when you eventually had to leave. You couldn’t start something here. Not now. 

After dinner, Sam placed the fresh cookies on a large plate and set them down on the coffee table in the living room. Everyone grabbed a few as they found their spots on the couches. You sat next to Peter and Natasha and settled in to watch the two action movies the team had picked. They were actually decent films and you had fun making jokes with Peter. Natasha would even let out a soft laugh with you guys every now and then. 

After the movies were over, everyone said goodnight and headed off to their rooms. You opened your door and stumbled inside, absolutely exhausted after the long day. You quickly changed into soft pajamas and crawled under the covers, sighing in contentment as you sank into the comfortable bed. You asked FRIDAY to turn off the lights and drifted off to sleep.

———————————————————

_ You’re running through a forest, your arms and face all cut up and bruised. You’re trying to get away from something but you aren’t sure what. It’s getting dark and you can barely see enough to push the tree branches out of your way. Suddenly, ropes come flying at your ankles and wrap themselves around your legs, causing you to fall. You’re desperately trying to untangle them but it’s too late. Several people come out from the shadows and your blood runs cold when you see the insignia on their uniforms. _

_ HYDRA. _

_ You use your energy blasts to push a few of them back before someone comes up behind you and slaps a familiar cuff on your wrist, effectively cutting off your powers. They soon surround you and a man with gray hair, a gotee, and a white lab coat comes walking up to where you’re sitting on the ground. Dr. Williams smirks and states, “I told you we would find you, Achlys.” He starts walking away and two soldiers grab your arms and pull you to your feet, dragging you through the woods to wherever the doctor was leading. You desperately try to escape their grip to no avail. Suddenly, the entrance to an underground building appears and the soldiers follow Dr. Williams inside. _

_They take you down a hallway and then pull you into a room. Your breath hitches at the sight of the familiar lab. The doctor gives the soldiers a signal and they lift you onto the metal table and hold you down. A needle pokes your arm and that horrible fire spreads through your body again, burning you from the inside out as you scream for help. _

You bolted upright in bed, sweaty and disoriented. You felt like you could barely breathe and your heart was beating out of your chest. It had felt so  _real_. Your body still hurt from the memory of the painful experiments they did.  _Okay, I need to calm down. I’m not with HYDRA, I’m in the Avengers Tower. I’m safe. I’m okay._ You repeated that to yourself until you finally felt your breathing and heart rate slow down a tiny bit. You hopped out of bed and went to the bathroom sink to splash some cold water on your face. You peeled off the sweaty clothes and changed into another pair of comfy pajamas. 

You crawled back under the covers and tried to calm down so you could go back sleep. After a while, it was obvious that it wasn’t going to happen. You sighed and looked over at the clock to see that it was 2:14am.  _ Well, at least I got a few hours in. _

You just laid there for a while, your body trembling and your mind consumed by the dream you had. That was the fourth nightmare this week and you felt worse after each one. You had even started having a physical reaction where your heart would beat really fast whenever somebody even briefly mentioned your captivity.  _I wonder if I have some kind of PTSD. Maybe I should talk to Sam. Wait, no. I might actually fall apart if I start talking about it_.  You suddenly heard muffled sobs coming from the room next to you, pulling you from your thoughts.

_ Peter. _

You quickly got up and made your way out into the hall. You stopped in front of Peter’s door and gave a gentle knock before opening it. He was sitting in the corner with tears streaming down his face and his legs pressed into his chest. His breathing also sounded shaky. _ Oh no. He’s having a panic attack. _

You ran over and knelt in front of him, grabbing his hands to get his attention. “Peter, Peter can you hear me? Hey, you’re okay. You’re okay. Whatever you were dreaming about, it was just a nightmare. It wasn’t real.” 

He looked up at you and nodded. “Can’t. Breathe.” He said, his hand clutching at his shirt.

Your heart broke for this kid. “I know, but you have to. I know it hurts but you can do it. Deep breaths, in and out, just like this.” You exaggerated your breathing so he could follow. After a second, he did. His uneven breathing eventually slowed down but the tears were still flowing from his face. You took him into your arms and just held him.

“It’s okay. You’re okay.” You said reassuringly, even as you were struggling to believe it about yourself. He continued to shake as the two of you just sat there on the ground for a few minutes.  _ That must have been a really bad dream. I’ve never seen him like this before. _

Suddenly, the door opened and Tony came inside. He scanned the room and his expression softened when he saw you and Peter in the corner. He quietly shut the door and walked over, sitting down beside you guys. 

“I’m sorry I couldn’t get up here faster. I was in the lab and I came as soon as FRIDAY told me something was wrong. What happened?” He asked gently.

“Panic attack. It was bad. He still hasn’t fully calmed down.” You whispered back.

He nodded and scooted in front of Peter. “Hey, Pete. Hey, it’s me. You’re all right, bud.” 

Peter looked up when he heard Tony and the tears came out even harder. “Dad. Dad, I’m scared.” He choked out, falling into Tony’s arms.

A look of pure shock filled the older man’s face at Peter’s words but it soon melted into a soft, almost loving expression. “I know kiddo, I know.” Tony said, holding the boy tightly. He turned his face toward you. “Thank you for getting to him so soon. You need to go back to bed, you look like you haven’t gotten much sleep either. I’ve got him, I promise.”

“Actually, I think I might go get a glass of water or something. I’m feeling a little restless at the moment. Let me know if there’s anything else I can do.” You responded as you stood up and walked out of the room. You shut the door softly and made your way down the hall into the common area. You went to the kitchen and grabbed a cup from the cabinet, filling it up with water from the dispenser in the fridge. 

You took a long drink and set it down on the counter in front of you. You buried your face in your arms and leaned your elbows against the cabinet, shaking like a leaf. _ I wonder if Peter dreamt about HYDRA too._ Just thinking the word “HYDRA” was almost enough to send you into hysterics again but you managed to catch yourself. You stayed where you were for a little bit, trying to quiet your raging mind.

Tony walked in a few minutes later, grabbing a bottle of water from the fridge.You pulled your hands from your face as he came over and stood beside you, his expression full of concern. “You okay, kid?” 

You didn’t have the strength to explain so you just shook your head no. 

He placed a hand on your shoulder. “Nightmare?” He asked. You nodded.

“Yeah, I get those too. They suck. Come on, let’s go sit down.” He said softly as he led you over to the couch. 

Once you were comfortable, Tony sat down beside you. “You want to talk about it? Sometimes it helps to let it all out.” He prodded gently. 

“HYDRA.” You stated. That was all you could say at the moment without bursting into tears.

“Well no wonder you look terrified. It’s common to have realistic dreams about traumatic events. I still get the occasional nightmare about Afghanistan.”

“You do?” You asked weakly.

He nodded. “Absolutely. It’s just part of it. It’ll get better with time, I promise.”

You relaxed a little at that. “Thank you.” You said, leaning your head against his shoulder.

He chuckled a little and hesitantly wrapped an arm around you. “Anytime, kid. Now seriously, go to sleep. I’ll turn on the TV in the background but you need to rest.”

“Will you stay with me for a minute? I don’t want to be alone right now.” You said softly.

“Of course.” He responded, holding you a little tighter as he turned the TV on. The soft noise and the comfort of knowing that someone who cared was there with you was enough to let you drift off again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Awe IronDad to the rescue! Honestly, this chapter has so many cute moments that I loved writing and I hope you guys enjoyed it. Let me know what you want to see in future chapters. Hope you have a great day!


	8. Home Away From Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things are looking up and you’re starting to mentally recuperate. That is, until Fury comes bearing a new mission for the team.

You woke up back in your bed the next morning, warm sunlight tickling your face. You checked the clock to find that it was 10:00am, later than you’d slept in a while. You rubbed the sleep from your eyes and went to the bathroom to shower and change. Once you felt semi-presentable, you headed out to the common area to see if you could find some sort of breakfast. As soon as you stepped into the hall, you were met with the smoldering blue eyes of the man you had spent the last week and a half trying desperately not to catch feelings for.

“Hey Pietro.” You said kindly, a small smile on your lips.

“Hello (Y/N). It’s nice to see you. I was worried when you missed breakfast. Are you feeling all right?” He said, a warm and almost concerned look on his face.  _That’s new._

You shrugged your shoulders. “I guess. I just didn’t sleep well. I’ll be okay.”

He didn’t seem entirely convinced but his usual flirtatious look soon returned. “Good. You know, you’re always welcome to stop by my room if you have another sleepless night.” He responded with a smirk.

You rolled your eyes and gave a light giggle, unsure whether or not to take him seriously. “Thanks. So, is there any food left or did you guys eat it all?”

“There should be a plate for you in the fridge. Sam made pancakes and they were excellent.”

“Awesome. I love Sam’s breakfasts.”

He laughed. “Me too. Okay, I have to go run some errands with Wanda but I’ll see you around, yes?”

You smiled. “Yeah, I’ll see you around, Pietro.” With that, he was off in a blur.

You shook your head.  _I can’t do this to him. I can’t start a relationship when I know I can’t stay._ With that thought in mind, you continued down the hall toward the kitchen. The common area was mostly empty except for Steve, Bucky, and Natasha lounging on the couches with a movie playing on the TV. Saturdays were rest days so it was pretty typical to find at least few people piled in the living room. The three of them smiled at you when you walked in.

“Hey (Y/N). You doing all right?” Steve questioned, a hint of worry in his voice when he saw the bags under your eyes.

“Yeah, I’m okay. Just had a rough night. What are you guys up to?”

“Nat’s forcing us to watch  _Titanic_ since Steve and I haven’t seen it before. You want to join us?” Bucky asked.

“Sure. I’m going to get some food and I’ll be right over.” You said, walking to the fridge. You found a plate with pancakes and fruit covered in plastic wrap with a note on top.

_ Bambi, _

_ I have a lot of meetings today so I won’t be back until later tonight. Peter went home to May’s this morning so don’t worry about him. Make sure you eat this, you need all the energy you can get. Try not to annoy the others too much while I’m gone. _

_ -Tony_

You chuckled a little as you grabbed the plate.  _ He’s such a dad sometimes. _ You wrapped the pancakes in paper towels and placed them in the microwave. After they were warm and slathered in syrup, you headed back to the living room. Steve patted the seat next to him and gave your shoulder a soft squeeze as you sat down. You quickly ate your food and set the plate on the coffee table before settling in and snuggling against the captain’s side, his arm immediately wrapping around you. It was hard to say why but you and Steve had gotten very comfortable with each other in your short time there. It was nice to have a friend like him. On the other side of the couch, Bucky looked over with a pang of mock jealousy on his face.

“Hey, I want cuddles too!” He whined sarcastically. Natasha rolled her eyes in the background.

Steve let out a soft laugh. “Well, come on then.”

Bucky grinned triumphantly and scooted closer, leaning his head on his best friend’s shoulder. Steve draped an arm around him and turned back toward the screen, a very blissful look on his face.

The four of you watched the movie, laughing and chatting about how dramatic some of the scenes were. Once it was over (and a tear or two was shed), you guys decided to play a board game together to pass the time. You were just getting Monopoly set up when the elevator dinged and the Maximoff twins came in carrying several bags.

“Hey. You two want to play Monopoly with us?” Steve asked them.

“Sure! Let us get this stuff put away and we’ll be right out.” Wanda said. They headed down the hall to their rooms and returned a couple minutes later.

Once everyone picked their pieces and the money was dealt, the game began. It was a lot of fun, although it was hard to ignore the way Pietro was staring at you. You met his eyes for a second before the blood started rushing to your cheeks and you had to look away. Natasha glanced between the two of you and gave you a mischievous smirk, one eye brow raised in suspicion. You lightly shrugged your shoulders and turned your attention back to the game, hoping she wouldn’t bring it up later.

“Watch where you’re throwing those dice, punk. You knocked over my hotel!” Bucky told Steve teasingly.

“Yeah, yeah, whatever jerk.” Steve said with a huge grin on his face.

Friendly banter was tossed around the table as the game continued. Eventually, Natasha was declared the winner. As you all cleaned up, a nagging feeling tugged at the back of your mind.  _It’s going to get harder and harder to leave everyone in this world._ You immediately decided to push that thought aside and cross that bridge when you came to it. You didn’t want to spoil the time you had here by dwelling on your eventual departure. Natasha suddenly placed a hand on your shoulder to get your attention.

“Hey, Wanda and I feel like having a girls’ day. What do you say to a little shopping? You need some more clothes anyway.” She said with a smile.

“That sounds great! Let me go get my shoes.” You responded enthusiastically.

You ran back to your room, a warm feeling growing inside of you. You were a universe away from your family and yet you felt so at home with these people. You quickly threw your shoes on and headed back out to the common area to meet Natasha and Wanda.

“Ready?” Wanda asked.

You nodded. “Let’s go!”

———————————————————

The next two weeks were a whirlwind. You and Pietro continued to grow closer, if only by more stolen glances and short conversations. He had even sat beside you during the last movie night, your hands secretly finding each other in the large bowl of popcorn like a cliche teen rom-com. Your determination to keep him at a distance was weakening but you couldn’t focus on that at the moment. You had become really busy once you were finally cleared by Bruce to start combat training with Natasha. He said that the Tesseract energy had somehow helped you heal quicker than normal, although it wasn’t quite as fast as Peter or Steve’s healing.   


The majority of the time that you weren’t in the lab with Peter and Tony (and occasionally Pepper) was spent reading in the library, calling your family and friends back home, or training in the gym with Natasha and Wanda. You had gotten better with your powers but hand-to-hand combat was slower progress.

“Okay, you need to widen your stance before you swing so you can get more force behind it. See?” Natasha said, demonstrating the movement.

It was an hour into your fifth session that week and you had been trying to get this move for the last twenty minutes. You copied what she was doing until you felt more confident in it.

“Good. All right, try again.”

You repeated the action and sparred with Natasha for a bit, utilizing what she taught you. After a half-hour, she called time and gave you a kind smile.

“You’re doing well, solnyshka. You pick up the basic motions easily and, with more practice, you’ll get better at knowing where to distribute your weight. I hope you know how proud we all are of you.”

“Thanks, Nat. That means a lot coming from one of the best super-spies in the world.”

She let out a quiet laugh and affectionately tucked a piece of hair behind your ear. Just then, Steve opened the doors and came inside, a serious look on his face.

“Hey Cap! What’s up?” You asked.

“Fury just got word of a new HYDRA base. He’s upstairs now and says he wants to brief us all in the conference room in fifteen minutes.”

Your breath caught in your chest when he mentioned HYDRA.  _ A new base? _ Your expression remained blank but your heart was beating rapidly and you felt your senses go a little bit out of focus. You heard yourself give a flat “okay” before you stepped out and went to the elevator. Steve and Natasha stayed behind to discuss some things so you were thankfully heading upstairs alone. As soon as you got to the residential floor, you bolted to your room and shut the door, sinking to the ground with your back against the wall. Your body felt numb but your thoughts were running a thousand miles an hour. You took a few deep breaths and tried to calm down. 

_ I’m in my room in the Avengers Tower. It’s 3:00pm. It’s the end of July. I can see birds flying outside my window. I’m safe here._

After a few minutes of this, you felt more like yourself again. It had been a while since you had such a physical reaction to the mention of HYDRA. You hadn’t even suffered any bad nightmares since that first week.  _They took everything from me but I won’t let them keep taking my peace._ Your resolve hardened and you knew what you had to do. You quickly changed out of your sweaty workout clothes and threw on a t-shirt and leggings. You ran to the bathroom to freshen up and then headed to the elevator.   


You went down a few floors and stepped out into a large meeting space with tall windows and a wide table. The rest of the team was already there waiting for Fury. You ran and gave Thor and Clint quick hugs since you hadn’t seen them in several weeks and found a seat in between Sam and Peter. You playfully ruffled Peter’s hair and gave Sam a warm smile. Suddenly, a man with dark clothes and an eye patch walked in, catching the attention of every Avenger. He sat down at the front of the table and began talking.

“All right, here’s the rundown. A new HYDRA base was discovered on the coast of West Africa. Ghana to be exact. The energy readings are off the charts and that can only mean one thing.”

“The Tesseract. You found where they’re keeping it.” You blurted out.

Fury’s gaze snapped your way, his expression indicating that he hadn’t noticed you before. “And just who might you be?” He said sternly.

“This is (Y/N), the girl we told you about. She was accidentally transported to this universe by the Tesseract and captured by HYDRA.” Tony responded.

Fury looked back at you. “Well, young lady, nice to finally make your acquaintance. And yes, you’re correct. We believe they have the Tesseract there. The mission is to get it back and then help SHIELD clear out the base. I already put the coordinates in the Quinjet and sent Tony the building layout. Any questions so far?” Everyone shook their heads no. “Good. Now, is anyone sitting this one out?” Tony immediately turned toward you and Peter. “You two are not going.”

You stared at him in shock. “Excuse me, what?!”

“You heard me. I’m not letting two teenagers near a HYDRA base that’s housing a freaking Infinity Stone.”

You clenched your jaw. “I’m an adult so you don’t get to make that decision for me, Tony. May I remind you that I was the one who blasted the foundation of the other base? I can’t just sit on the sidelines any more. I’m going crazy worrying about HYDRA’s next move and I need to be there to take them down.”

Tony’s expression softened a bit. “I get it, kid. Believe me, I really do. But you’re barely trained and it’s way too dangerous.”

Peter spoke up. “Mr. Stark, didn’t you just finish building your first official Iron Man suit when you went to save that village? You weren’t exactly trained either. (Y/N) has gotten good with her powers in a short time and she could be a real asset. I’m also sick and tired of stressing about what HYDRA will do to us. I want to help take them down too.”

Tony pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed. “I swear you kids will be the death of me one of these days.” He took a second and then looked up at you and Peter before continuing. “Fine, but you’re both fighting from a distance and you will listen to every single one of our commands on the battle field. Got it?”

You ran to give him a hug, Peter not far behind you. “Thank you.” You said softly.

Tony took you both in his arms for a second before the three of you sat back down.

“Well, that’s settled. Now, let’s go over some details.” Fury said. He showed you all a satellite scan of the general area surrounding the building. Thankfully, it was a couple miles outside the nearest city so there’d be very little chance of civilian casualties. He gave the team what small amount of information SHIELD had gathered about the people running the base and concluded his speech. “Everyone clear on what to do?” He asked flatly.

“Yes, Fury. We’re all set. Have a little faith in us, all right? We got this.” Steve responded, his body language a bit tense. You couldn’t tell if it was nerves about the mission or a hint of animosity toward the director.

“Good, because failure isn’t an option.” Fury said tightly, gathering his supplies and exiting the room.

Everyone stood and started heading out to suit up. Steve, Bucky, and Natasha walked over to you, concern showing in their faces.

“You’re absolutely sure about this? You’re really ready for a mission?” Steve asked, an apprehensive tone in his voice.

You nodded. “I have to do this, Cap. I’ll go insane if I just stand around and do nothing.”

Bucky slung an arm around your shoulders. “I understand, kid. We’re just worried about you. We have your back, okay?”

You smiled. “Thanks, Bucky.”

“All right, we need to get you a suit. Come with me.” Natasha said, grabbing your hand and pulling you toward the elevator. Out of the corner of your eye, you could see Tony talking to Peter on the other side of the room. Steve and Bucky walked over to join the conversation, obviously concerned for Peter too. Soon the elevator door closed and Natasha sent you guys down to the 30th floor. There was neatly organized storage as well as racks of clothes lining one wall. Natasha made her way to the where a row of sleek black body suits were hanging and grabbed one. She also collected a pair of matching combat boots before she came back to over to you. 

“Try this and see if it fits. There’s a dressing room right over there.” She said kindly.

You gave her a nod and a smile and went to change. The suit and boots fit you perfectly and they were surprisingly stretchy and comfortable. You walked out to see Natasha standing there with some sort of wide black belt in her hands. She beamed when she saw you.

“You look amazing, (Y/N). I know it’s just a standard SHIELD uniform for now but it looks great. Here, this is a weapon belt to add to it. I stocked it with some knives in case you need a little extra protection.” She said, handing you the heavy bundle. You clipped it on, studying the curved handles sitting on your hips. You took one out, admiring the thick metallic blade for a moment before you re-sheathed it. You grinned and gave her a hug, her arms wrapping around you only a second later. It said more than words ever could.

You grabbed your clothes and headed back upstairs with Natasha. You stepped out into the common area to see most of the team milling about. Natasha went to her room to get dressed and you handed your clothes to a friendly-looking maid before walking over to where Tony was standing. He looked extremely stressed but he still smiled when he saw you.

“Hey Bambi, ready to go?” He asked.

“Ready as I’ll ever be.”

“Good. Okay, put these on.” He said, handing you a black earpiece and a watch with a touchscreen. You placed the communication device easily but you gave Tony a puzzled look as you slipped the watch on your wrist, not sure what it was for.

“It doesn’t seem like much but it actually has a lot of uses. You can send an emergency signal to the rest of the team, you can project a map of the building we’re going into in case you get lost, it monitors your vitals and alerts us if something is seriously wrong, stuff like that. All of us wear them on missions. It also has FRIDAY so you can ask her if you’re stumped on how to do something.” He explained.

You nodded in understanding, looking in wonder at such a feat of technology. Once everyone else had come in, you all headed up to the roof where the Quinjet was waiting. As you were walking over, Pietro appeared beside you, gently tugging your arm to stop you.

“Are you certain about this, printesa? You’re still so new and I don’t want you to get hurt.” He said, a genuinely anxious tone behind his words.

“I’ll be okay, I promise. It’s sweet of you to worry but I need to do this.” You responded, placing a hand on his shoulder and meeting his gaze.  _Welp, if I didn’t have feelings for him before, I definitely do now._

“If you say so. By the way, the suit looks lovely on you.” He stated, the sultry confidence seeping back into his voice.

You chuckled and moved your hand to push a stray piece of hair out of his face. “You’re looking pretty good yourself.”  _ Crap. This is the exact opposite of what I need to be doing.  _ You swore you saw a hint of a blush on his cheeks but he winked and super-sped away before you could fully register it. You shook your head and stepped into the jet, briefly stopping in front of where Peter was sitting.

“You’re gonna do great, kid.” You said, giving his arm a light squeeze. He shot you a smile before you walked over and sat by Wanda.

“How are you feeling, sestra?” She asked, her hazel eyes scanning your face for any signs of distress.

You sighed.  _ She’ll see right through me if I try to lie.  _ “Honestly? I’m terrified, but I know I can do this because I have you guys with me.” You stated, keeping your voice as steady as possible and giving her a sad smile. She just nodded and silently grabbed your hand, trying to offer a bit of comfort.

Vision spoke up from his seat on the other side of Wanda. “You’ll do well, (Y/N). Your power has grown exponentially since you started training with Wanda and you have shown great aptitude in battle already. Don’t worry about the what-ifs until they happen, all right?”

“Thanks, Vis. I really appreciate that.” You responded warmly, feeling a bit more confident. 

Soon, everyone was settled in and ready to go. The ramp closed and the jet took off, quickly reaching cruising altitude. It was going to be a long ride across the Atlantic. You kept your hold on Wanda’s hand and got comfortable in your seat. Conversations filled the plane as everyone made small talk to pass the time. It was nice to laugh with them and you could feel your nerves fading by the minute.

_ Maybe this will be okay after all. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The friendships developing between you and the Avengers are so sweet! Also, maybe it’s time to confess to Pietro? Haha anyway, I hope y’all enjoyed this chapter. As always, feel free to leave constructive feedback!


	9. All’s Fair In Love And War

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It’s time to fight HYDRA and get the Tesseract out of their hands. Will everyone survive?

“(Y/N), wake up. We’re about to have a team discussion to go over the plan again.” Wanda said gently, shaking you out of your sleep.

You sat up and rubbed your eyes. “Sorry. Did I doze off?”

“Yeah, just for a little bit. We’re around an hour away now.”

You nodded and focused your attention on Steve sitting near the front of the plane as he began addressing the group.

“Okay, everyone has their watches, right?” You all shook your heads yes. “Great. Now, here’s the layout of the building.” He said as he tapped his wrist and projected a 3D model into the center of the jet’s cabin. “Once we land, we’ll split into several groups. Tony, Thor, Bruce, Vision, and I will head in first and start making our way through the main entrance. Natasha, Clint, Bucky, and Sam will go in on the east side and meet up with us in the center of the building. Our job is to look for the Tesseract and secure it safely. Peter, (Y/N), and the twins will advance through the west entrance and move down toward the control room. Their job is to download all the files they can get since there wasn’t a lot of information stored in the last base we were at. Once we have what we need, we’ll meet the SHIELD agents outside and help them get everyone in the building into custody. Clear?” Muttered assurances rose from around the space, confirming that everyone understood the plan. 

Conversations started back up again a moment later. Steve stood and walked over to Peter, placing a gentle hand on the boy’s shoulder.

“Are you sure you’re gonna be okay, Queens?” The captain asked.

Peter smiled softly. “I’ll be fine Uncle Steve. I’ve faced them before, remember? Besides, my group is just going down to the control room. We shouldn’t run into as many guards that way. We got this.”

Steve patted the kid’s back. “I know. Just be careful, all right?”

Peter gave a mock solute. “Aye aye, Captain.”

Steve chuckled and ruffled the boy’s hair a bit as he walked away. He then came over and sat himself in the empty seat beside you, his eyes creased with concern.

“Steve, I know what you’re gonna say. Really, you don’t need to worry about me. I’m not some fragile flower.” You said pointedly.

He let out an uneasy laugh. “Believe me, I know you aren’t. You’re still my friend and my teammate though so of course I’m going to worry. Just...try not to get yourself killed, okay?”

You sighed and leaned against his shoulder. “Okay.” 

A minute later, Tony walked over and stood in front of where you were seated. You sat up and gave him a questioning look.

“Remember what I said, kid. Fight from a distance as much as possible and listen when we tell you to do something. One mistake could cost you your life and I do NOT want to have the hassle of calling your mom to explain that one.” He stated firmly. 

You rolled your eyes. “I know, Tony.”

The tiniest smile played on the corner of his lips. “Good.” He responded before going to sit by Peter. 

As people milled about, you chatted casually with Wanda about your favorite books and exchanged a few jokes with Sam. The battle was getting closer but everyone was doing their best to keep the atmosphere calm.

_ Hey, it’s the Avengers. What can go wrong? _

———————————————————

Everything. Everything could go wrong.

You were down in the control room with Peter and the twins. You and Peter were trying to get the download to finish as fast as possible while Wanda and Pietro stood guard.

“Is it nearly done? We can’t hold them off for much longer.” Wanda said, her voice a bit strained as she used her powers to beat back a couple agents. 

“One more minute.” You responded, a hint of nervousness creeping into your voice.

“(Y/N), go help them. The download is almost complete anyway.” Peter said immediately.

You nodded and ran over to where Wanda was standing, your eyes lighting up as you conjured energy to your hands. You used your telekinesis to lift three agents off the ground and toss them down the hall, careful to avoid Pietro’s signature blue blur as he fought nearby. On your left side, Wanda threw a couple of them out the window. The three of you were preoccupied with the battle when you suddenly heard a loud crash a few floors above and your intercom was filled with panicked voices.

“Guys, what’s happening up there?” You asked.

“We’re taking a hit from a ton of soldiers at once. Be careful, some of them are heading your way and they’re enhanced.” Bucky called out, his voice tense with effort. 

“Got it, thanks Buck. We’re coming to meet up with you all now.” You responded.

Peter grabbed the flash drive and the four of you bolted away from the room. As soon as you reached the stairs, you were faced with a swarm of super-soldiers blocking the way. More came in from behind, closing you in. Your only choice was to fight.

And fight you did.

You threw an energy blast toward a cluster of agents, knocking them off their feet. Peter straight up punched several of them, stunning them enough that he could pin them down and web them to the floor. Pietro was weaving in and out of the crowd, tripping and disarming as many as possible. Wanda was as fierce as ever as she flung five agents into the wall. You all seemed to be making progress when a sharp pain filled your leg. 

You cursed under your breath when you felt blood running down your thigh. You saw two agents with raised rifles coming your way but you couldn’t exactly walk so you did the next best thing. You created a force field of sorts in front of you just in time to block a pelting of bullets and unsheathed one of your knives. You threw the knife into the side of the one closest to you (thank goodness for Natasha’s lessons) and used your telekinesis to send the other flying into a pile of debris. You then collapsed, your leg unable to support your weight any longer. Pietro suddenly appeared in front of you, his face filled with concern when he saw you on the ground.

“(Y/N), what happened? Are you all right?” He asked quickly.

You shook your head. “It’s my leg. I think I was shot. I can’t walk.”

Without another word, Pietro scooped you up in his arms and motioned for Wanda and Peter to follow. He ran at normal speeds so they could keep up. You clutched his shirt as he carried you upstairs to where you were supposed to meet back up with the rest of the team, silently hoping that the bullet hadn’t hit any major arteries. As soon as the other Avengers saw you, they ran over and asked Pietro to explain what happened. Bruce, back to his old self now that the fighting had died down, immediately grabbed you and took you to the Quinjet. He laid you on the medical cot and hurriedly gathered the first aid supplies. He then inspected the wound and began cleaning it.

“You’re lucky, kid. It was a through-and-through so I can just sew it up with a few stitches and monitor it for a while. I’ll probably have to give you a unit of blood on the way back but, other than that, you should be fine.” He said.

“Thanks, Bruce.” You responded weakly. 

“Tony’s gonna kill you, you know.” He quipped with a hint of a smile.

“Don’t remind me.” You groaned. “He’ll probably never let me leave the Tower again.”

Bruce laughed and continued fixing up your wound. He was nearly finished when the rest of the team started making their way into the jet, everyone looking pretty banged up. All of them sent worried glances your way as Bruce was completing the stitches. Once the wound was wrapped up, he turned around and addressed the team as he stepped away from the cot. 

“She’s fine. You guys can relax.” 

The relief on their faces was palpable. Tony walked over to you first, arms crossed over his chest.

You sighed. “Go ahead. Say it.”

“You had to get yourself hurt, didn’t you? After I specifically told you not to?” He said, his tone a mixture of playful and stern.

You shrugged your shoulders. “I didn’t exactly plan to get shot. Besides, I’m fine. I was able to put up a force field in time to stop the bullets that would’ve done any real damage.”

A smirk formed on Tony’s face. “Yeah, whatever. It’s a good thing we like you, kid.” He said before walking back to the front of the jet to speak with FRIDAY.

Pietro didn’t move from his seat but you’d have to be blind to miss the way he looked over at you like you being alive was the best thing to ever happen to him. You gave him a warm smile and mouthed “thank you”. He smiled back and gave a slight nod before both of you turned your focus to other things.

A minute later, Natasha came and sat down by your bed, her eyes showing the worry that her stoic expression tried to hide. 

“Are you sure you’re okay?” She asked tentatively.

“I’m fine, Nat. I promise. Did you guys get the Tesseract?”

“We didn’t unfortunately. They must have moved it right before we got there. Everyone in the base is now in SHIELD custody though so we’ll find it soon enough. Today wasn’t a loss.”

“I guess all’s well that ends well.” You responded, stifling a yawn.

Natasha laughed a bit. “Yeah, I guess so. Now, get some rest. You lost a lot of blood and we have a long way to go.”

You nodded and let your eyes close, your tired body pulling you into a deep sleep.

———————————————————

The next week was spent hobbling around on crutches while you waited for your leg to mend. Even with your new and improved healing abilities, the bullet did enough damage to slow you down for a bit. Thankfully, you had lots of company at the Tower. Wanda and Peter frequently piled into the living room to watch movies with you while chowing down on popcorn. Steve, Natasha, Bucky, and Sam would play board games with you, placing more and more ridiculous bets each time. One game ended with Natasha making Steve show you guys the PSA videos he did and that left you all laughing for a good twenty minutes. Clint had decided to stick around for a few weeks and he even brought his family to stay. His kids were adorable and you loved playing with them. All in all, it wasn’t the worst time.

It was Friday and you were sitting in the living room reading a book when you heard a clanging in the ceiling. You giggled to yourself before calling out, “Hey Clint!”

The vent cover opened and the spy jumped down expertly, landing with perfect grace. “How did you know I was up there?” He asked incredulously.

“You weren’t exactly quiet.” You responded with a smirk.

“Damn it! I knew I needed new hearing aids.” He whined as he sat down beside you.

You took the golden opportunity. “I think you’re gonna need more than that, old man. We could start with the hair and wardrobe, maybe some lessons from Nat on how to actually sneak around...”

That earned you a solid punch in the arm as you both burst into laughter. After a minute, his expression gave way to a more worried look as he turned toward you and asked, “How’s the leg doing?”

“It’s getting better. Bruce said I can be off of the crutches tomorrow.”

He smiled. “That’s great, kid. Just don’t overdo it, okay?”

“I won’t. I’ll be careful, I swear.”

“Good.” Clint said, giving your shoulder an affectionate squeeze and hopping off the couch. He went over to the kitchen and hoisted himself onto the counter right below another vent cover. He quickly opened it and crawled back inside, ready to make his way to somewhere else in the Tower. You chuckled and turned your attention back to your book, becoming engrossed in the story once more.

An hour later, the team started trickling into the common area for dinner. It was decided that you guys would order pizza because Sam was too tired to cook. Thor had to head back to Asgard for the evening so thankfully you only needed to order six large pizzas instead of eight. The food was great and it was really nice to be able to relax and joke around with everyone.

After dinner, Tony broke out the ice cream and everyone grabbed a bowl before finding their seats on the couch for movie night. There were lots of ideas thrown around but you all eventually settled on a fun-looking comedy. Right as it was about to start, the elevator doors opened to reveal Thor and Loki standing there. Thor was smiling from ear to ear but his brother had a look of boredom on his face as they stepped into the common area.

Peter got up and ran to give the God of Mischief a hug. “Uncle Loki! I haven’t seen you in forever!”

The god’s face softened as he wrapped an arm around the boy. “Hello, Spiderling. It is good to see you too.”

Peter smiled and went to sit back down. Thor grabbed Loki’s arm and led him over to one of the couches. As they walked by, Loki’s gaze was suddenly drawn to you.

“And who might this be?” He asked nonchalantly.

Tony spoke up. “That’s (Y/N), she’ll be staying with us for a little while. Don’t even think about trying anything,  Reindeer Games.”

You rolled your eyes. “Come on Tony, you can’t call him that. It’s offensive to reindeers!” 

Laughter erupted from around the room, including a light chuckle from the god himself. 

“Oh, I like this one.” Loki stated.

“As do we brother.” Thor said with a smile.

“Thanks, Thor. Now, it’s nice to meet you Mischief but we are about to watch a movie. Unless you want to end up on my bad list, I suggest you take a seat.”

Loki smiled and gave you a cheeky wink as he and Thor went to sit down, earning him a glare from Tony. Thankfully, the movie started right then so his attention was drawn away. Pietro, however, wouldn’t take his eyes off the god. His jaw was clenched and the look he gave was nothing short of murderous. _ I really hope this doesn’t turn into a thing. I would never be more than friends with Loki anyway since he’s, you know, over a thousand years old. _ You sighed and leaned back into your seat, turning your focus toward the screen. 

The film was a little cheesy but everyone still enjoyed themselves immensely. Once the living room was cleaned up, you said goodnight and headed off to bed. You were absolutely exhausted and you didn’t feel the best for some reason. You quickly changed into pajamas and burrowed under the covers, falling asleep as soon as your head hit the pillow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It’ll be interesting to see where a friendship between you and Loki goes! Also, things are going to be getting intense before too long but you can take comfort in the fact that everyone is okay. For now *evil laugh*  
> I’m sorry that I’m so bad at writing fight scenes but I hope you guys still liked this chapter! Let me know what you want to see in the future.


	10. Wounds Never Heal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just when you were supposed to be getting better, you suddenly get really sick.

The next morning, you woke up with a pounding headache and a nauseous feeling in your stomach. You carefully got out of bed and hobbled over to the bathroom to get ready for breakfast. You threw on a comfortable grey t-shirt and stretchy leggings, not really caring too much about how you looked. After quickly brushing your teeth and hair, you made your way out to the common area. Everyone was in the kitchen filling their plates with eggs and toast.

Clint’s son Nate saw you first and immediately ran over, shouting, “Yay, (Y/N)‘s here! Can we play hide and seek after breakfast? Pleaseee?”

You enveloped the toddler in a quick hug. “Maybe later buddy. Let’s just eat right now, okay?”

Nate nodded and you both headed toward the kitchen, the boy running back to his father. As you slowly limped to where the food was, Tony came over and grinned. “Well, look who’s up!”

“Yeah, yeah, I’m awake.” You shot back with a weak laugh.

You grabbed a plate and sat down between Steve and Wanda. You didn’t eat much, drawing a concerned look from Natasha that you tried (and definitely failed) to ease with a soft smile. Even if you only had a few bites, breakfast was delicious and the atmosphere was as lively as always. It was nice to have Thor and Clint there and Loki even chimed in on the conversation every now and then. As people finished eating, Bucky looked your way. “Hey (Y/N), do you want to watch a movie after this?”

“Sure, sounds good!” You responded with as much cheer as you could muster.

Once the table was cleared off, everyone went their separate ways, Tony mumbling his complaints about Saturday meetings. You and Bucky plopped down on the couch and decided to watch  _The Princess Bride_. You nestled in and curled up against him, his arm quickly wrapping around you and pulling you close. As the movie wore on, you continued to feel worse and you could barely keep your eyes open. Bucky must have sensed something wrong because he looked down at you and asked, “Are you feeling okay, doll? You look a little pale.”

“M’fine.” You mumbled almost incoherently.

“Sit up for me.” He said, a worried look on his face. You did as you were told and his non-metal hand felt your forehand. “Shit kid, you’re burning up.”

“Oh.” You responded weakly.

“Come on, you’re going back to bed.” He stated as he got up off the couch. You managed to get to your feet but dizziness soon overtook you and you nearly collapsed before Bucky caught you.

“All right, we’re not doing that.” He announced, picking you up so he was carrying you bridal style. “Steve, get out here!” He nearly shouted.

The captain came into the room a second later. “What’s wrong?” He asked, suddenly seeing you draped across Bucky’s arms. “Oh.”

“Yeah. She has some kind of fever and she got worse fast. I’m going to get her to her room but I need you to go find some meds and call Tony.”

“On it.” Steve said quickly, rushing over to the elevator. Bucky took you down the hall and opened your door, gently setting you down on the edge of the bed as he worked to pull down the covers. You felt bile rise in your throat and choked out, “Bathroom.”

“What was that?” Bucky asked as he made his way back to your side.

“Bathroom.” You managed to say a little louder. He understood instantly and hoisted you up, telling you to lean your weight against him. He walked you to the cold, tiled room and placed you in front of the toilet. You grabbed the sides and the vomit started coming out. You took a shaky breath and lowered yourself to your knees as more kept coming. Bucky sat beside you and comfortingly rubbed his metal arm up and down your back. After a few minutes, you finally felt empty and collapsed against the wall, absolutely exhausted. Bucky grabbed a washcloth from the cabinet and ran it under the sink. He sat back down next to you and wiped your face. Once he was done, you rested your head against his shoulder and tried to keep your body from trembling.

Steve came in a minute later with a cup of water and a handful of pills. “Here, you need to take these.” He said, crouching down next to where you and Bucky were sitting. You nodded and sat up straight, downing the meds and taking a few sips of water before you leaned against Bucky’s shoulder again and closed your eyes.

“Do you feel like you need to puke any more?” Bucky asked softly. You shook your head. “Okay. Let’s get you lying down, yeah?” You felt yourself being carefully lifted off the ground as he carried you to your bed.

Once you were comfortably tucked in, Steve sat beside you and Bucky went to tidy up the the bathroom. You opened your eyes a bit and saw the blonde soldier looking at you with a concerned expression as he gently held a cold ice pack to your forehead.

“Just rest for now. We got you, I promise. Tony will be back soon and we’ll get you all fixed up.” He said quietly. You nodded and curled into a fetal position as Steve ran a soothing hand through your hair, a kind of protectiveness in his eyes. The meds slowly kicked in and you drifted off to sleep.

———————————————————

The next time you woke, Tony was sitting at your desk working on his laptop. You still felt pretty feverish and nauseated as you shifted around under the covers to try to get comfortable. The movement drew Tony’s attention and he immediately got up and came over to your bed.

“Hey, sleepyhead. It’s just me.” He said reassuringly. “You need to rest. Your fever still hasn’t broke.”

You groaned in response and closed your eyes as Tony pressed a cool washcloth to your sweaty cheeks and forehead. After a minute, a sick feeling overtook you, making you even more miserable. Your eyes flung open and you felt your body start to shake.

“(Y/N), what is it?”

You started to answer but you had to hold a hand to your mouth to keep from vomiting right then and there. An understanding look passed across Tony’s face and he hastily grabbed the bowl on your bedside table and set it in front of you. You threw up for a few minutes before collapsing back onto your pillow. Tony set the bowl aside and held a straw to your lips with a cup of water. You took a few sips before he placed it back on the nightstand.

“Here, let’s get you sitting up for a second.” He stated, helping you adjust your body so your back was against the headboard. Once you were settled in, he held out a Gatorade and a small plate of saltine crackers.

“We need to get some meds in you but you can’t take them on an empty stomach.” He explained. You took a few careful drinks and nibbled on the crackers, going slowly so you’d have a chance at keeping it down. After you managed to finish most of the plate, he set a few pills in your hand. You tossed them back and chased them with a long swig of Gatorade. Once you were done, you laid down as Tony took the dishes from you and pulled the blankets over your shivering shoulders.

“Try to sleep, okay?” He whispered, pushing a few stray hairs out of your face. 

“Why is this happening?” You croaked out, your sore throat making every word painful.

“We don’t know yet. Bruce ran some tests and we’re waiting for the results to tell us what’s going on.”

“Okay.” You said weakly.

“Don’t worry, it’ll be fine. We’ll take good care of you, kid. Just relax and get some shut-eye.”

You nodded and burrowed under the warm covers, letting unconsciousness take you once more.

—————————————————————

_ “We will find you eventually, Achlys.” _

You bolted upright, your eyes wide with shock and your heart racing. The dream had been a flashback to the day you escaped from HYDRA. The words had haunted you ever since but this time you  _relived_ them. You pulled your knees to your chest and tried to stop the heaving sobs that threatened to escape.

“Printesa? What’s wrong?” You heard a familiar voice say. You turned your head to see Pietro sitting in a chair beside you, his face drawn in concern. He took one look at your panicked eyes and immediately ran over to the bed, sitting down and taking you in his arms. You nestled your head into his shoulder and let the tears fall freely.

“It was only a nightmare. You’re safe here.” He said, trying to comfort you.

You lifted your head and looked him in the eyes. “It wasn’t just a nightmare. I-It was a memory. The day I escaped from HYDRA, the doctor told me that they would find me and take me back. I-I can’t stop thinking about it.” 

Pietro ran his thumb across your cheek and wiped away a falling tear. “We won’t let them hurt you ever again. I promise.” He paused and gently pressed his hand to your forehead. “Your fever is getting worse. You need to lie down.”

You nodded and let him guide your head back to the pillow. He started to get up but you grabbed his shirt and asked, “Will you stay? Please?”

He hesitated for a moment before responding, “Of course.” He laid beside you and let you snuggle into his chest, wrapping his arms around you tightly. Finally feeling like you could breathe again, you fell back asleep.

—————————————————————

You spent the following day and a half in and out of consciousness. Different people would be gently prodding you to drink some water, eat, and take meds before you fell back asleep. You threw up one more time but thankfully Sam was able to help you catch it in the bowl. After what felt like forever, you woke up the next afternoon actually alert. Tony was sitting at your desk again and he grinned when he noticed you sit up.

“Hey, kiddo. How you feeling?”

“Tired but better, I think.” You responded, stretching your limbs.

Tony walked over to your bed and placed a thermometer in your mouth for a minute. “Look at that, your fever finally broke!” He said excitedly.

You gave him gentle smile. “That’s great. Did Bruce ever figure out why I got so sick?”

“The tests he ran showed that you got some sort of delayed infection from your bullet wound. Good thing that Tesseract energy helps you heal quick, huh?”

“Yeah, good thing.” You whispered as you looked at your leg.  _ How did one little bullet do this much damage? _

Tony looked at you, a slightly worried expression on his face. “Bruce also said that one of his tests showed some irregularities in your heart that are common in people who have had chemo in the past. H-Have you had cancer before?

You nodded, not meeting his eyes. “Yes. I was diagnosed with metastatic carcinoma when I was eight. I’ve been in remission since I was thirteen but the treatment was brutal.”

“Oh, kid.” Tony said softly, sitting down beside you on the bed and placing a comforting hand on your shoulder. “Why didn’t you say anything?”

“I don’t like to talk about it.”

“That’s okay. Just...just don’t forget that we’re here for you, all right?”

You wiped a tear from your watery eyes. “I won’t. Thank you.”

“Good. Now, what do you say we do some work in the lab? We can take it easy but it could be a good distraction.”

You couldn’t contain the joy on your face. “I’d like that.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Awee everyone is so sweet to you!! Anyway, I’m sorry this took so long to update...my life’s been a little bit crazy. I’m a big softie for sickfics where your comfort characters are taking care of you so of course I had to add one into this. I hope you guys liked it! Comment any ideas you have as we continue the story :)


	11. The Making Of A Hero

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Now that you’re healed up (again!), it’s time to see what the next few weeks with the Avengers will hold.
> 
> **PLEASE READ END NOTE**

The next seven days passed uneventfully. Your leg was practically good as new and your infection was finally cleared out. It was nice to just relax with everybody. You even managed to convince Natasha that you were feeling well enough for a training session. She took it easy on you but it was amazing just to get your body moving again. You’d also occasionally run into Loki in the living room, his nose typically deep in a book. You had noticed that some members of the team weren’t exactly friendly toward him. Although it was understandable given what happened, you still made a point to be nice to him, asking him how his day was going or getting him to tell you about some of his and Thor’s adventures. He seemed to take a particular interest in the fact that you were from another universe where he was nothing but a mythological story and a comic book/movie character. Every now and then you’d even manage to get a fun, mischievous smile out of him. Overall, it was a good week.

On the following Monday, you woke up at 9:30am and went to get ready for breakfast. Once you felt decent enough, you made your way out to the common area. The large room was suspiciously empty as you approached, causing you to furrow your brows in concentration.  _Where is everyone?_ Suddenly, the entire team jumped out from behind the kitchen counter and yelled, “Surprise!” You giggled and ran over to them, a warm smile on your face.

“Guys, what is this all about?” You asked quickly, still stifling a laugh.

“Underoos told us that it was your birthday and we couldn’t let you turn twenty without celebrating.” Tony said with a wink.

You hadn’t planned on telling them about your birthday (heck, you’d only mentioned it to Peter when you were sleep deprived in prison). You didn’t know how you’d feel celebrating it without your family and friends from your dimension there. One look at the kind faces of the Avengers was all the convincing you needed though.  _ This is going to be fun. _ Peter stepped out from beside Tony, his bright eyes making you melt instantly.

“Kid, I can’t believe you did all of this! You even came back early from Aunt May’s to be here?” You blurted out, enveloping the boy in a tight hug.

“I wouldn’t miss it for the world, (Y/N). Are you sure it’s okay that I told them?” He responded tentatively.

“Of course it’s okay! I’m just glad you’re here.” You said as you let him go. He gave you a smile and you turned back toward Tony.

“Oh, (Y/N), I want you to meet Rhodey.” The billionaire announced, redirecting your attention to the man standing next to him. He stuck out his hand. “It’s nice to meet you Miss (Y/N). I’ve heard a lot about you.”

You shook his hand happily. “All good things I hope?”

Tony gave you a teasing glare. “Hey! I’m offended you think I’d talk bad about you. I’d never do that!”

Rhodey rolled his eyes. “She knows how you are, honeybear. You do have a tendency for the sarcastic.” Tony shoved him a bit when he said that, mumbling something about stealing nicknames. You just laughed.

After a moment, you turned and addressed the group. “Thank you guys.” You stated, trying to convey how grateful you were for them.

“Anytime, kid. Now come on, let’s go eat before it gets cold. I made your favorite: chocolate chip waffles!” Sam answered, slinging an arm around your shoulders. You chuckled and walked over to the kitchen with him. Everyone made their plates and sat down in the dining room, chatting excitedly.

You glanced around the table in between bites of food, taking in the atmosphere. These were the people who took you in without a second thought, who cared for you with nothing in return, and who showed you incredible kindness and compassion.

_ They’re becoming like family. _

_ And I’m going to have to leave them. _

The thought caused a very painful feeling in your chest. Tony and Bruce were probably nearly finished with the portal and then you’d have to go home to your reality. As happy as you were to be here, surrounded by the Avengers on your birthday, the moment was bittersweet. You ultimately decided to push the feelings aside and just enjoy the time you had left.

After everyone was done eating, you all moved to the living room to open gifts. Clint and Natasha banded together to get you a really cool set of throwing knives, drawing a wary look from Tony. Wanda had gotten you a cute new pair of shoes that matched your favorite shirt. Steve, Bucky, and Sam chipped in to get you a pair of expensive leather gloves to protect your hands during training and missions. Vision opted to give you a cookbook filled with your favorite recipes. Thor and Loki decided to give you a lovely gold bracelet straight from Asgard. Rhodey even brought you a gift card for a coffee shop not far from the Tower. It was all so wonderful, you could barely comprehend it. You gave everyone hugs to thank them, stopping for a moment when you got to Loki.

“I know the gold bracelet was at least partially your idea. You’re going to have to let me give you a hug, Mischief.” You said with a playful grin.

He scoffed. “You Midgaurdians and your trivial traditions.”

“Come on, you know you like me.” You shot back, your tone a mixture of sweet and sarcastic.

His eyes softened a bit. “Perhaps you’re more tolerable than other mortals.” He conceded.

“Good enough for me!” You said as you quickly wrapped your arms around the god. You thought you could see a hint of a smile on his face as you released him.

Tony came over to you a second later. “All right Bambi, let’s go down to the lab so you can see what Bruce, Peter, and I got you.” You nodded and let out a laugh as he ruffled your hair. You started to make your way toward the elevator with everyone else when Pietro gently pulled your arm to stop you.  _ Dang is he good looking. _

“Happy birthday, printesa.” He said kindly, handing you a small black box. You opened it slowly, revealing a beautiful silver necklace with a charm in the shape of a crescent moon. You drew in a breath.

“It’s gorgeous. Thank you.” You responded softly.

“I’m glad you like it. Although, it still doesn’t hold a candle to your beauty.” He replied with an only slightly flirtatious grin.

You quietly closed the box. “Pietro, I-”

“Okay, everyone downstairs!” Tony shouted, interrupting your conversation. Pietro was gone before you could continue. You sighed and slipped the box into your pocket.  _I’m gonna have to tell him soon. As much as I want to be with him, I can’t be that selfish._ You headed down with everyone else, preoccupied with your thoughts.

The elevator dinged and you all walked out and started down the hallway to the lab. As soon as Tony opened the doors, you were frozen with shock.

In front of you was a three-sided, floor-to-ceiling glass chamber attached to the wall that was large enough to fit a person. It was rimmed with slim metal (helping outline the door) and had some kind of lever on the side. You stared at it for a moment before giving Tony a slightly puzzled look.

“This is the portal, kid. You’re going home.” He stated proudly.

The words rolled over you and a thousand mixed feelings filled your mind as you stood there like a deer in headlights.

Tony chuckled a little at your stunned response. “Pretty cool, huh? We finally got the kinks worked out and installed it last night. Well, more like  _I_ got the kinks worked out as the resident genius. Anyway, here’s the remote you can use to open it from your side. All you have to do it point it at a mirror, step through, and you’ll land right here. We’re gonna get one set up in the Compound too when we move back out there.”

You blinked a few times, taking a moment to process what he just said. “Wait, I-I can come back?”

“Well, we weren’t going to let go of you that easily.” He answered with a slight smirk as he placed the device in your hand.

You pocketed the remote and gave him the biggest hug you possibly could. “Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU!”

He was caught by surprise but he soon returned the gesture. “Anytime, Bambi.”

You beamed and turned back to face the rest of the group. They all looked so happy for you and you couldn’t help the obvious elation you were feeling.  _ I can come back to them! _

“Mr. Stark, aren’t you going to tell her about the other present?” Peter asked enthusiastically.

“Oh, right! Come on, it’s this way.” Tony said, leading you to the corner of the room. He pulled a sheet off of an oddly-shaped structure to reveal a mannequin with a jaw-dropping black suit.

“Is this really for me?” You questioned as you stepped toward it. It was intricately patterned and made of a thin but strong metal, very identical material to Peter’s Iron Spider suit. There was a small insignia on the right shoulder with the Avengers “A” on it, a belt with slim holsters for different weapons, and sturdy black combat boots to finish off the look. In one word, it was perfect.

“Yep, it’s yours. Maybe the metal will help you not get stabbed and shot quite so much.” Tony quipped sarcastically. He then handed you a wide silver circlet that curved to a point at one end. “This is your new com. Push the little button on the right side and the earpiece should fall into place.” 

You carefully put the device on and made sure it was comfortably settled over your hair. You felt around and pressed the button, the small headphone sliding onto your ear. You checked out your new accessory in the mirror and decided that you liked the way it looked. The point came to rest right in the center of your forehead and the band circled your head snuggly enough that it wouldn’t fall but not tight enough to look odd. You felt like some kind of mystical princess wearing it. You turned to Tony and smiled approvingly before looking back in the mirror and adjusting the new gadget.

“It looks amazing, sestra.” Wanda said sweetly as she came to stand beside you. “Now all you need is a moniker, some kind of name for the world to know you by.”

“Hmm, that’s gonna be a hard one.” You replied, pivoting to face the group. “What do you guys think? And no Tony, it’s not going to be Bambi.”

Tony rolled his eyes but he didn’t argue. Steve then spoke up. “It’s your decision, (Y/N). Just pick something that fits, you know?”

“Okay. Well, it can’t be Achlys because that’s what HYDRA called me and there’s just way too much baggage there. I do want a name that kind of matches the suit though.” You mused out loud. “Ooh, what about ‘Silver Shadow’ or something like that?”

Natasha beamed at you. “‘Silver Shadow’ is perfect.”

“All right, kiddo. It’s settled then. Meet the newest Avenger, everyone!” Bruce said excitedly, giving you a pat on the back. The whole team cheered.

You had a name, you had a suit, you had Avenger status, and you had a new second family.

Now you needed to do one more thing.

Your eyes met Pietro’s a moment later. You smiled shyly and started making your way over as people were absentmindedly milling about the room. You grabbed his hand and quietly led him into the hallway, hoping no one would notice. He gave you a quizzical look as you pulled the black box out of your pocket and opened it.

“I’ve been scared to start anything official with you because I thought I wouldn’t be able to come back once I went home. Now that I know I can...I’m ready to say something. I-I really like you, Pietro. I’d love to give this relationship a genuine shot if you’re willing.”

A huge smile crossed his handsome face. “I’d like nothing more, (Y/N).” He then took the box from your hand and removed the necklace. He carefully unclasped it and wrapped his arms around your neck to place it on. Once it was secured, he looked you up and down. “How are you so gorgeous?” He drawled in his sultry accent, placing his hands on your waist and pulling you close.

You gave him a light laugh. “I could say the same thing about you.” His hand tenderly cupped your cheek and your faces inched closer until his lips found yours.

It was magical.

It was a moment when nothing else mattered.

You kissed passionately, your arms draped around his neck and his hand finding its way up to be entangled in your hair. After a minute, you pulled away to take a breath. “We should probably get back inside. They’ll be missing us soon.” You said a bit dejectedly.

“But. This. Is. So. Much. More. Fun.” He responded, planting kisses on your neck between each word.  _He’s gonna make it so hard to stay focused._

“I know, but we still need to stop for now.” You leaned into him and whispered next to his ear, “I promise I’ll make it up to you some other time.” He sighed and nodded, releasing his hold on you. You walked the short distance to the lab doors together and you gave his hand a squeeze before letting go and stepping back into the fray.

—————————————————————

A week later, you were sitting in your room at your mom’s house listening to music when you suddenly looked at the clock.  _Crap, I gotta go!_ You hurriedly threw on a pair of shoes and opened your door. “Hey, Mom? I gotta head back to the Tower for a few days, okay? I have that introductory press conference in fifteen minutes and I need to get suited up beforehand.”

She came into your room a second later. “You’re sure? You know you can always cancel if you don’t want to do it.”

You nodded. “I’m sure, I promise.”

She enveloped you a tight hug before pulling back to look you in the eyes. “Okay, honey. Gosh, I still can’t believe this. I know Steve brought you through the portal and confirmed everything but it still doesn’t feel real. My baby’s an Avenger now.”

“I know, it doesn’t always feel real to me either. All right, I really do need to go. I’ll call you later, okay? Tell Charlie hi for me when he gets home from practice.”

“Will do. Be safe.”

You smiled and waved as she walked out of the room. Once she was gone, you closed the door and pointed your remote at the mirror on the back. The portal opened and you quickly stepped through, landing in the familiar lab.

“Hey, kid! You came back after all!” Bucky greeted warmly.

You laughed and threw your arms around the soldier. “Of course I came back, Buck! How could I stay away?” He clung to you for a moment and chuckled lightly before letting you go and walking with you to the elevator. He hopped off on the ground floor and you headed upstairs to change into your suit and headpiece. You put them on and made your way back down, trying to mentally prepare yourself 

A few minutes and lots of hugs later, you were waiting in the lobby with the rest of the team (although Clint, Thor, and Loki had gone back home for a bit). You anxiously paced around, running over your talking points again in your head.  _ My name is Silver Shadow. I will be joining the Avengers. I gained my abilities from the Tesseract as a result of a HYDRA experiment gone wrong. I’m here to make a commitment in front of all of you that I will do my best protect the Earth from harm. _ You hoped you weren’t missing anything. You had practiced the full speech with your mom about 20 times during the week you’d been home but you really didn’t want to mess this up. A gentle tap on your shoulder pulled you from your thoughts suddenly.

“You okay?” Pepper asked, her kind eyes studying your face intently.

“I think I’m just nervous. I’ll be fine.” You said, giving her the best smile you could manage.

“It’s okay to be nervous, hun. This is all pretty new to you. I know you’ll do great though. You just have to give a quick statement and do five minutes for questions and then it’s over.”

“Okay, that’s not so bad.” You responded, trying to even out your breathing.

“You got this. I have to go make sure everything’s set up but let me know if you need anything.” She stated as she started walking away.

“I will. Thanks, Pepper!” You called out after her.

A minute later, FRIDAY’s voice told you all that it was almost time. You headed over to where the other Avengers were standing near the front doors, apprehensively adjusting your suit as you did so. At that moment, Pietro appeared and lightly wrapped his arms around your shoulders from behind. He did it in a way that looked more friendly than anything so it didn’t add to people’s suspicion (you were both hoping to wait and see where the relationship would go before you told everyone else) but you knew what it meant.

“You look stunning.”

You couldn’t help the blush that flooded your cheeks. “Thank you. Now, stop being such a flirt! I have to be on TV in a minute.” You responded. Pietro just laughed.

Steve was standing nearby and he looked your way, giving you a bright grin. A pang of sadness flitted across his eyes for a brief moment as he watched you and the blonde speedster interact. Pietro didn’t seem to notice as he lightly kissed the top of your head and ran off. Once he was gone, Steve crossed the short distance to you.

“You do look beautiful, by the way.” He said thoughtfully, a tone behind his words that you couldn’t quite place.

“Thanks, Steve. That means a lot.” You replied, giving him an appreciative smile.

“Ready?” He asked.

You took a deep breath. “Ready.”

Tony looked back your way before nodding and pushing the doors open. You walked out behind him into the flashing lights of the cameras. 

—————————————————————

The event went decently. At least, you thought so. You were kind of on autopilot but you were able to speak clearly and say what you needed to. You kept details vague but you hoped you still let the public get to know you enough to trust you. 

Once it was over, you all went upstairs to change into some comfortable clothes for dinner. You found some sweatpants and a simple t-shirt and threw them on quickly. Right as you stepped out into the hallway, you ran into Pietro.

“Hi.” He said with a smirk.

You pulled him in for a kiss since no one was looking. “Hey yourself.”

“You did well at the event. I think everyone will love you.” He stated as you both continued down the hallway.

You sighed. “I really hope so.”

He gave you an understanding look as the two of you entered the common area. He went to go talk to Wanda and you dashed to the kitchen to get a peek at the food.  _Ooh, tacos and burritos._

“It looks delicious!” You told Sam enthusiastically.

He beamed at you. “Thanks, kid. You did great today, I’m proud of you.”

You smiled at him. “I appreciate that.” You said sweetly, hoping he wouldn’t notice you using your telekinesis to sneak a little bit of taco meat into your hand.

It was too late by the time he did. “Hey, come on! You can’t keep doing that. I’m going to have to ban you from the kitchen if you don’t straighten up!” He threatened.

You finished your bite of food and smirked. “I’d like to see you try, bird boy.”

Sam just rolled his eyes and kept cooking. You always loved teasing him and you knew he only acted frustrated by your antics. You made your way to the living room and plopped down on the couch next to Steve. He smiled happily and tossed an arm over your shoulders before continuing his conversation with Bucky. You were content to just sit there silently and rest for a moment after the long day you had. 

A few minutes later, Sam announced that dinner was ready and you all went to the kitchen to make your plates. You got your food and went to sit down, Pietro grabbing a chair beside you. You chatted with the team as you ate but they didn’t see your hand secretly find Pietro’s under the table. He interlaced his fingers with yours and the two of you stayed that way all throughout dinner.

After everyone finished eating, you all spent a little while lounging around the living room watching TV. Natasha pulled you into the seat next to her and wrapped her arms around you for a quick hug. You giggled and settled in, leaning your head on her shoulder. It was nice to have quiet moments like this. Eventually, your exhaustion overtook you and you excused yourself and bid everyone goodnight. You went to your room and took a relaxing shower, changing into your coziest pajamas afterward. You finished your nighttime routine and crawled in bed, ready to get some sleep. Suddenly, you heard a gentle knock at your door.

“Come in.” You said just loud enough for them to hear. Pietro entered a moment later, smiling when he saw you.

“I just wanted to say goodnight.”

You hopped out of bed and gave him a chaste kiss. “Goodnight, Speedy.”

He raised his eyebrows at the nickname but didn’t say anything.

“I’ll see you for breakfast in the morning?” You asked cheerfully.

He grinned. “Of course. Until then, draga mea.” He tenderly pulled your hand to his lips, mirroring the first time you met, before walking away and shutting the door behind him.

You smiled as you headed back over to bed and burrowed under the covers. You had a boyfriend in high school but this was completely different. You were excited to see where this would go and maybe, just maybe, you would be ready to tell the team soon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It took 11 chapters but you FINALLY kissed Pietro! Make sure you savor these fun/sweet moments because they won’t last forever *villain smirk*  
> Also, I made some edits to the summary and throughout the chapters so feel free to do a reread to catch up on those. Yes, I may end up incorporating some elements of Infinity War/Endgame but never fear, I won’t make you relive what the Russo brothers did. Now, a question for you all: What do you think about doing more than one relationship throughout the story? Do you just want Pietro or should we explore other options? Let me know down below. Have a great day!


	12. New Developments

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You’re just about to settle into your fall semester at college when something shocking shakes you to your core.  
> TW: Description of panic attacks

Two weeks later, your mom was helping you unpack and get settled into your dorm for the fall. Thankfully, she was able to get your stuff out when you mysteriously disappeared a few months ago and the replica dorm in your new universe was emptied out by the university. She was also pretty good at convincing the police and everyone but the close friends you both had approved that you had no memory of what happened and you didn’t wish to pursue the matter further. It was helpful to know that you could have a fresh start here after everything that happened.

You were finishing up the last couple things when your mom suddenly got a call. She had a quick conversation and hung up, a slightly dejected look on her face.

“Who was that?” You asked.

“The hospital. They need me to pick up a shift tomorrow so I have to head home as soon as possible. It’s a long way to Indiana.”

“That’s okay! I’ll be fine Mom, I promise.” You said, giving her a huge hug. “I love you!”

She squeezed you tightly. “I love you too, pumpkin. Get some good rest tonight, okay?”

“You too, Mom. Drive safe!”

She smiled sadly at you and walked out the door, shutting it quietly behind her. You turned your focus back to your unpacking and got the last few things done. You glanced at the clock after you were finished and noticed it was nearly dinner time.  _ Dang, the day passed quick. I should probably make my way over to the Tower. _

You had made the decision with the rest of the Avengers that you would come over every night for dinner so you weren’t always eating junkie college food. You smiled as you remembered the conversation after breakfast the other day.

_ “So, isn’t it almost time for classes to start again?” Bucky asked from his spot on the couch. _

_ You groaned. “Don’t remind me. But yes, I have to move into the dorm in a few days.” _

_ Tony sat down with his third cup of coffee that morning in his hand. “You know, you could be here more than weekends. You could come for dinner in the evenings so you’re at least eating well. I’m sure Nat wants to continue your lessons, too.” _

_ You smirked. “Tony Stark, are you going to miss me when I’m not here 24/7?” _

_ “Of course not. I just want to make sure that you’re properly fed and trained for missions. That’s it.” _

_ “Bull. Shit.” Rhodey said, ruffling your hair as he walked by. “You’re as attached to the kid as we all are, Tones. Admit it.” _

_ “Nope. Never.” Tony stated resolutely. You rolled your eyes. _

_ “Well, I, for one, will miss you, (Y/N).” Steve chimed in, giving your shoulder an affectionate squeeze. You didn’t miss Pietro’s almost jealous look at the contact. _

_ You beamed at him. “I’ll miss you too, Steve. All of you.” You said, giving Pietro a reassuring glance. You thought for a moment. “Maybe coming for dinner every night isn’t such a bad idea.” _

_ Natasha looked at you with the tiniest hint of a smile. “Good, because otherwise I’ll kidnap you and bring you here myself. Also, I had an idea for your training. What if we roped in Steve, Bucky, and Sam for some lessons? It could be really beneficial for you to learn different combat styles.” _

_ “That sounds great to me! Are you three okay with that?” _

_ They eagerly nodded their assent and the discussion carried on to other things. It was nice to spend a normal day with the team. _

Pulling yourself from your thoughts, you grabbed the remote and opened up the portal in your mirror, bathing the room in a beautiful blue light. Before you could step through, it shuddered slightly and you were knocked backwards by a burst of energy as the portal seemed to suddenly expand. You groaned and opened your eyes enough to make out the shadow of a very large and tall person stepping through. You blinked and got a better look, your breath hitching in your chest.

Thanos.

The titan smiled coldly at you. “Hello, daughter.”

—————————————————————

You scrambled to your feet. “What are you talking about, Thanos?” You snarled.

“So you do know who I am. Good.” He said, sending a chill down your spine. He put his hands up in a semi-placating gesture. “I am not here to hurt you. I came to explain something important.”

You conjured some energy into one hand and discretely started a voice recording on your phone with the other. “You better talk fast, then.”

“I must start at the beginning. You see, I am the reason you went to your new universe with the Avengers.”

“How? HYDRA was the one with the Tesseract and it was their portal that accidentally brought me there.”

“How do you think they got the Tesseract? How do you think the portal transcended realities?” He responded curtly.

Your blood turned to ice in your veins. “That was all you?”

“Yes, little one.”

You choked down your tears. “Why?”

“My other daughters both betrayed me. I needed someone else by my side. I searched many realities until I found you. Innocent, yet so strong. You have been through much, and that makes you a fighter. I made sure the right humans got the Tesseract and manipulated the portal so it transported you. When the Avengers took you in, it was the perfect opportunity for you to begin training. Now, you can become my beloved daughter and fight by my side. You can join willingly, or you can allow my plan to force you to come. The choice is yours.”

“You expect me to come with you in your quest to collect the Infinity Stones so you can wipe out half of the universe?” His brow raised at your statement. “Yeah, I know about that. You don’t have very many scenes in the movies yet but I’ve read the comics and seen the teaser trailers for the next film.” You snapped.

“It is a journey to restore balance. You should be proud I picked you to come.”

“Go to hell, you shriveled purple grape.”

Thanos nodded, an almost sad look in his eyes. “Very well. I will give you some time, but now my plan has been set in motion. Prepare yourself, child.”

You threw a vase at him but he disappeared into a second portal that opened up and it shattered on the wall behind him. You screamed and, tears running down your face, you pressed the “end recording” button on your phone and ran into the portal in your mirror. You needed to talk to the team.

You bolted through the empty lab to the elevator and headed upstairs. You fought to choke down the sobs that threatened to wrack your body. The doors opened and you quickly stepped out into the common area. Bucky looked your way as soon as he heard you come in. “Hey, kid! I’m almost done with dinner if you’re hung-woah, what’s wrong?” He asked, his carefree expression rapidly changing into a worried one when he saw your panicked face. The other Avengers soon took notice and they all made their way over to you.

“What’s going on? You’re safe, you can tell us.” Tony said, the concern obvious in his voice. You just shook your head silently.

“(Y/N)?” Pietro stated sweetly, weaving through the small crowd to get to you. You let the tears flow freely and collapsed in his arms when he reached you. He wrapped himself around you and lowered you both to the ground.

“It’s all right, draga mea. I’m here. I’m here.” He whispered reassuringly as he stroked your hair. You felt yourself start to calm down a little in his comforting embrace. After a minute, you lifted your head and looked him in the eyes. He tenderly wiped a few tears from your cheeks and helped you stand up. Once you were steady on your feet, you turned to the rest of the team.

“I-It’s Thanos. He’s the reason I ended up in this universe and now he’s after me.” You blurted out.

“What do you mean? Who’s Thanos?” Natasha asked quickly.

“He’s this mad titan that wants to use the Infinity Stones to wipe out half of all life in the universe.” You answered meekly.

“I believe I have heard of him. The stories that are told paint a rather bloody picture.” Thor added, his expression grim.

“Why is he after you? He already has a mission, right?” Tony questioned.

You pulled out your phone and played the recording of the conversation you had with him. They all stood in silent shock as they absorbed what was being said.

“Wow. Okay, so, what should we do?” Peter asked tentatively. You shrugged your shoulders.

“Well, it sounds like you have the luxury of a little time. Why don’t we just continue training and try to prepare the best we can, okay?” Sam chimed in.

You nodded and swiped at the corner of your eye to catch a stray tear. “Okay. I can probably even take the spring semester off and stay here more often. I have enough credits to still graduate on time.”

“Yeah, that sounds like a good plan. We will get you through this, all right?” Steve said, placing a comforting and protective hand on your back. You gave him a soft smile in return, already feeling somewhat better.

“Now that we have an idea of what to do, I must celebrate seeing Lady (Y/N) again!” Thor exclaimed, tossing you over his shoulder. You giggled a little and pounded his back. “Hey, foul move!” You cried out. “But it’s good to see you too, Thor.”

The god just smiled and walked into the living room, depositing you on the couch. The rest of the Avengers filed in soon after, Pietro and Natasha finding seats next to you. Natasha turned toward you with a mischievous grin and asked, “So, what was that whole thing with you and Mr. Speed over there a few minutes ago?”

“Oh, uh...” You hesitated.

“(Y/N), it’s all right. We can tell them.” Pietro said, placing a hand on top of yours.

You nodded and glanced back at Natasha. “Well, we wanted to wait and see where it went before we said anything but...yeah. We’re together, I guess?”

Bucky grinned and Sam’s hand slapped against his face. “I told you! Pay up, loser.” The metal-armed soldier stated, holding out his hand as Sam reluctantly placed twenty dollars into it. Natasha also collected some money from Thor.

“What?! You guys placed bets on our love life?!” You said indignantly.

“You two were dancing around each other for so long that it was driving everyone crazy. This is how we dealt with it.” Natasha drawled, throwing an arm over your shoulders. “But we are happy for you.”

You laughed and wrapped your arm around Natasha’s. “Fine. I’ll let this one slide because I like you guys.”

You spent the next few minutes chatting with everyone in the living room as Bucky ran to the kitchen and finished dinner. Once it was ready, everyone grabbed their food and sat down to eat. It was a nice time and a welcome distraction from the recent developments about your cross-universe adventure. As you all began clearing off the table, Steve caught your attention.

“Hey, looks like it’s my night to join you in training. Ready to go?”

“Sure thing, Cap.”

You, Steve, and Natasha headed downstairs to the gym. You quickly pulled your hair back and started your warm up. Once you got your blood pumping, you met Steve on the mat in the center of the room and Natasha stood off to the side to referee.

“Okay, ready?” The captain asked, getting into position to spar.

You nodded and planted your feet firmly in the ground. “Ready.”

—————————————————————

Steve had you pinned for the seventh time in two hours. “You gotta be faster than that. Next time, try breaking my stance by sweeping your leg into mine before you swing. You have a better chance if I’m off kilter. Got it?” He said sweetly and a little playfully as he grabbed your hand and pulled you up.

You nodded and smirked a little. “You know, Steve, I wonder how this would go if we tried it with my powers?”

Steve pondered for a second before walking over to grab his shield and getting into position. “Give it a shot.”

You quickly went at it, not unleashing your full force but not holding back a ton either. It felt good to get your pent up emotions out after the day you had. Steve blocked your first few energy blasts with his shield and then came at you with an expert uppercut (obviously tempering his strength too). It grazed your jaw but you managed to sidestep the worst of it. You quickly recovered and shot more energy blasts at you tried to dodge his hits. A few punches landed on your side but you managed to push him back before he could get too many in.   


You utilized what Natasha taught you and swung your legs up so you were sitting on his shoulders and making him balance your weight. You stayed there for a second before his movements forced you to jump off and roll into your stance again. The pattern of hitting and dodging repeated for a few minutes, both of you scraping each other up pretty good. You then remembered what he said earlier and used your telekinesis to knock his legs out from under him a bit, giving you just enough time to throw yourself at him and pin him down.

“Point: (Y/N)” You said with a grin.

Steve laughed as the two of you stood up. “Well played.”

Natasha walked over a second later. “Good job, (Y/N). You’re really learning how to hold your own.”

“Thanks, Nat. I have a great teacher.” You said with a wink in her direction. The smallest whisper of a smile played on her lips at your compliment.

The three of you then headed upstairs to get cleaned up for game night. You took a fast shower (the hot water did wonders for your sore muscles), dried your hair, and changed into your coziest pajamas. You made your way back to the common area just as Tony was getting Monopoly set up. You found a seat between Pietro and Peter, giving your (sort of official?) boyfriend a kiss on the cheek and treating your adopted little brother to a noogie. Everyone selected their pieces and the game commenced.

“Awe no fair, I was going to try to land on Park Place on my next roll!” Sam complained.

“It’s not my problem that you were too slow to get there!” Bucky retorted with a smirk.

“Come on, kid! Do you have to collect rent this time? I let you live here rent-free!” Tony asked you when he landed on your property that had a hotel on it.

“Nuh uh. Pay up Mr. Genius Billionaire Playboy Philanthropist.” You shot back. Tony reluctantly gave you the seven hundred and twenty dollars.

The banter continued until Steve was eventually declared the winner. Everyone helped clean up and you all said goodnight. You gave a few hugs and then walked over to give Pietro a quick kiss, earning groans from all around the room. You just laughed and shook your head as you released him. 

You waved at everyone and were about to make your way down to the lab to go to your dorm when Steve gave you a teasing punch to the arm. “Goodnight, (Y/N).”

You threw your arms around the blonde soldier. “Goodnight, Steve.”

He held you for a minute and then you both let go at the same time. You grinned at him and started heading toward the elevator when Tony caught your attention.

“Hey, Bambi? What do you think about staying here tonight? You don’t have classes until the day after tomorrow and it’s probably not the worst idea for you to be in somewhere that’s high-security since Thanos knows where you are.” 

“Oh, right. Okay, I’ll stay.” You responded shyly, all the joy gone from your voice. 

Tony placed a hand on your shoulder. “It’s gonna be okay, kid. Get some sleep, we’ll see you in the morning.”

You nodded and managed a small smile before walking down the hallway and heading inside your room. You finished your nighttime routine and crawled into bed, bone tired from the long and emotionally draining day. As you closed your eyes, all you could do was hope that things turned out better than it seemed like they will at the moment.

—————————————————————

_Prepare yourself, child._

You woke with a start, tears running down your face and a heaviness in your chest that made it feel like you could barely breathe. You gingerly sat up but it didn’t help any. Your heart was beating a thousand miles an hour and you fought to hold back the sobs as Thanos’ words played in your head over and over. You pulled your knees to your chest and rocked back and forth. After a minute, a weird numbness settled over you. You still couldn’t breathe and your heart hadn’t slowed down at all but you weren’t crying anymore. You stayed in your curled position for a bit and tried to snap out of it to no avail. Suddenly, the door opened and Tony stood in the doorway.

“(Y/N)? What’s wrong?” He asked quietly.

You looked at him blankly with your puffy red eyes and shrugged your shoulders, your body trembling a little with the movement. Tony saw your face and walked inside, shutting the door behind him to block the nightlights in the hallway. He sat down on the edge of the bed and looked at you with an uncharacteristically sweet expression that he usually reserved for Peter. “You’re obviously not okay. You can tell me what’s going on.”

“T-Thanos. Nightmare.” You said, your voice shaking. All the numbness flew away as you spoke and you were overwhelmed with fear. The tears started streaming down your face again.

“Oh, kid.” Tony responded empathetically. He fiddled with his hands for a second, unsure of what to do. “I’m really not very good at this but d-do you need a hug or something?” He asked.

You nodded and Tony hesitantly adjusted himself so he was sitting next to you on the bed and wrapped his arms around you. You buried your head in his chest and sobbed, hating how scared and small and powerless you felt. He rubbed a hand up and down your back in an attempt to be comforting. Your breath hitched in your chest and you were suddenly hyperventilating again. 

“Bambi? Woah, hey, it’s okay. You need to breathe. In and out, just like this.” He held you tighter and exaggerated his breathing. You did your best to follow it. After a minute, you were breathing a bit more normally and you felt slightly better, even if you were still terrified. Tony started to pull back but you clutched his shirt and looked at him with eyes that were pleading for him to stay a little longer. He carefully wrapped his arms around you again and changed positions a bit so you were both comfortable. You continued to sob for a while but eventually you calmed down some. Tony noticed and moved to look at your face. 

“Better?” He asked as he wiped a tear on your cheek. 

You nodded. “B-By the way, how did you know what was happening? I hope I wasn’t too loud.”

“No, you’re fine, kid. After your bad nightmare a few weeks ago, I asked FRIDAY to let me know if something was wrong. You obviously have PTSD or something from your time at HYDRA and I’m sure today made it worse.” He thought for a moment. “Maybe you should talk to someone about it? Sam is great with this kind of stuff.”

“I don’t know if I’m ready to do that yet. Maybe one day but I just can’t right now.”

Tony’s eyes shone with affection, none of his usual smugness in his face. “That’s fine, I get it. Try not to bottle it all up though. I did that for most of my life and it never ended well.”

“Okay. Thank you, Tony.” You responded

“Sure thing. All right, why don’t you lay down, yeah?”

You rested your head on your pillow as Tony got up and pulled the blankets over you. He seemed to contemplate something for a second and then he placed a fatherly kiss on your forehead.

“We won’t let anyone hurt you. I promise.” He whispered. You fell asleep before you could respond, exhausted from everything that happened that day.

Tony’s POV:

He walked out of the room and shut the door behind him. He took a few steps toward his and Pepper’s suite before stopping and leaning against the wall.  _ This poor kid. She hasn’t even graduated college and she’s already been through so much. _ He wracked his brain for a solution but none came. He had felt a weird protectiveness over you ever since they had taken you in. He wasn’t totally sure why but it probably had something to do with the fact that he saw bits of himself in you when you were working in the lab or when you made a sassy comeback. He was the exact same way with Peter and, though he never really told anyone, Harley a couple years ago. He sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose.  _ How can I protect them from someone like Thanos? _

He stood there for another minute and looked at his watch.  _Great, it’s 4am. Definitely not sleeping tonight._ Ultimately, he decided to go to the lab.  _Maybe I can think up something there. Either way, at least it’ll keep me busy so I’m not worried about my kids._ He stopped himself short at the thought.  _My kids?_ It terrified him that he considered you and Peter “his kids” but something in him knew it felt right.  _Geez, I’m going soft. I’ve known the girl for barely even two months and I already care this much._ He shook his head and made his way down to the lab, determined to do something to help.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dun dun dun! Bit of a big reveal about who the true Big Bad of your story is. I know the last part is a bit more affectionate than Tony typically is canonically but I like to think that he opened up a little after spending time with Peter. Plus, we all saw him with Morgan <3 When he takes in a young person in need of a parental figure, he goes all out. Also, I wish they kept the deleted Endgame scene where he kissed Peter on the cheek when he hugged him! Anyway, I hope you guys liked this chapter! Sorry it took so long to post...life is insane right now. I’ll try to update weekly from here on out. Talk soon!


	13. Through The Good And The Bad

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You’re still working through your trauma but the Avengers are there for you every step of the way.

You woke up about an hour later sore and a tiny bit disoriented. You blinked a few times as the memories of yesterday came back and a sense of dread filled your chest.  _ How are we ever going to stop Thanos? _ You sighed and glanced over at your clock. It was 5am now and most of the team didn’t get up for breakfast until around 8 or 8:30. You tried to go back to sleep for a little while but nothing worked. You sighed and got up, putting on some sweats and heading out to the common area for a cup of coffee. You weren’t surprised to find Steve awake, sitting and reading a newspaper at the table like he sometimes did before his 6am run.

“Hey Cap.” You said quietly as you walked over to the coffee maker.

He looked up and seemed a little shocked to see someone else awake. “Hey. You’re up rather early. Everything okay?” He said, seeming to grow more concerned as he took in the dark circles under your eyes.

“I’ll be fine, I just need some coffee. Thanks for asking though.” You responded with as much of a smile as you could manage.

Steve got up and came over to you and pulled you over to the couch. He sat down beside you and placed a hand on your shoulder. “You’re absolutely sure? You don’t really seem okay. What’s keeping you awake right now?”

You took a deep breath and decided to tell him. He was too stubborn to drop the subject. “I guess it’s the nightmares. I just can’t seem to shake them. I keep reliving these awful moments and then I struggle to sleep afterwards. It was Thanos this time. I-I have to stop him somehow but I have no idea where to start.”

He nodded and slowly wrapped an arm around you. “I get it. What can I do to help?”

You leaned against him. “Just you being here is enough.” You sat silent for a moment before an idea popped in your head. “Can I maybe join you on your run? I need to get this nervous energy out somehow.”

“Sure. I don’t mind the company. Are you positive that you’re up for it though?”

“Yeah, I’ll be okay.”

“All right. I’ll meet you back here in 10 minutes.”

You nodded and got up, heading down the hallway to your room. You took a moment to splash some water on your face and then changed into your workout clothes. You met back up with Steve and you both took the elevator to the lobby and went outside. You did a quick warmup together and started the run.

It was definitely some intense exercise. Steve tried keep his pace slower but he was still a good bit taller than you and you were struggling to keep up. The fresh air burning your lungs felt amazing though and it really helped clear your head. He took breaks with you whenever you needed it but you still got tons of cardio in. By the time you guys got back to the Tower and went upstairs, it was 7:30. You both parted ways and went to take fast showers to clean up for breakfast.   


Once you were done, you changed into some comfortable day clothes, grabbed a book, and went back to the common area. Steve was already there, sitting on a barstool and scrolling on one of Tony’s StarkPads. You had been surprised at how well adapted he was to the current technology, although he still asked for your and Peter’s help quite often. You smiled at the memory of teaching him how to reconnect to the WiFi as you walked to the kitchen and started to make some coffee.

Steve looked up at you as you got the coffee maker going. “Hey. Feeling a bit better?”

“Yeah, the run was exactly what I needed. Thank you, I really appreciate you letting me join. I know I slowed you down a bit.”

He got up and stood in front of you, gently pushing a piece of hair behind your ear. “I don’t mind at all. I just want you to be okay.”

You wrapped your arms around him and he quickly returned the gesture. “Thanks, Steve. I don’t know what I did to deserve a friend like you.” You mumbled into his chest.

He smiled and kissed the top of your head. “I don’t know what I did to deserve you either.”

You grinned and released him, both of you returning to what you were doing. Steve picked up the StarkPad again and you doctored up your coffee with some cream and sweetener. You then grabbed your mug and sat down on the couch to read your book. People started to trickle in, exchanging quiet “good mornings” as drinks were made and everyone found spots to sit while they waited for breakfast. It was Bruce’s turn to cook and he appeared a few minutes after 8, looking a little tired but still decently chipper. As he was getting the eggs out, you hopped up and walked over to him.

“Hey! How are you, Bruce?”

He smiled. “I’m doing all right, kid. How are you? Tony said that you had a bad night...”

You froze for a second before relaxing again. “Yeah, it was rough but I’m okay now.”

He didn’t seem too convinced at first but he eventually responded, “All right, if you’re sure. I’m here if you ever need to talk.”

You hugged him. “I know. Thank you.”

He hugged you back before returning his attention to the cooking. You had started to head out of the kitchen when you saw Pietro coming out of the hallway. You smiled and ran to him, nearly tackling him as you wrapped your arms around him tightly.

“Well, good morning to you too, printesa.” He said with a grin as he held you and kissed your forehead.

“Morning, Speedy.” You responded sweetly as you released him. You grabbed his hand and you both walked over to the couch to sit and wait for breakfast. Tony, Natasha, and Peter were in the living room too and Tony was fixing Pietro with a bit of a death glare as the two of you sat down. You gave him a pleading look and he finally relented after a minute. You sighed and leaned your back against Pietro’s chest, still really tired. He just chuckled and held you snuggly. Natasha saw how you were sitting and teasingly smirked and raised an eyebrow. You made a face at her and she simply grinned and gave you a wink, obviously enjoying poking fun at you. You all chatted for a few minutes before Bruce called out that breakfast was ready. Everyone hopped up and went to eat, enjoying the eggs and fruit that the doctor had made.

After breakfast, you spent the rest of the day hanging out around the Tower with different people. You curled up on the couch and watched a couple movies with Peter and Bucky, did some work in the lab with Tony, and helped Vision cook dinner. Even though you were still exhausted and a little preoccupied, it was a nice day and a perfect distraction from what was going on.

That evening, you were chilling in the living room with everyone after dinner when you looked at the time. “Shoot, it’s getting kind of late, guys. I should probably head back to my dorm. My classes start pretty early in the morning.”

“You do seem like you need to catch up on sleep. We’ll see you for dinner tomorrow night, yes?” Vision asked.

“That’s the plan.” You responded, giving the best smile you could manage as you got up off the couch. Pietro stood up too and quickly wrapped you in a hug and gave you a gentle kiss. You kissed him back before you released each other. You gave a few more hugs to different people on your way out, nearly being crushed by Thor (he always gave big hugs when he had to go back to Asgard). Right as you were nearing the elevator, Tony came over and put a hand on your shoulder.

“You sure you’re gonna be okay, kid?”

You nodded. “I’ll be fine, Tony. I’ll let you know if I do end up needing help. I promise.”

Tony surprised both himself and you when he pulled you in for a hug. “See you tomorrow.” He said kindly and a little awkwardly as he let go.

You gave a soft smile in return. “See you tomorrow.”

You then stepped onto the elevator and rode it down. You hopped off and then quickly opened the doors to the lab, trying to stay calm.  _I can do this. It’s just college. I’ve handled it before._ You took a deep breath, turned on the portal, and stepped back through.

—————————————————————

On Friday of that week, you were sitting in your dorm finishing up an essay. You typed up the last few sentences and closed your laptop, sighing in relief. Since this was just the first week of classes, you hadn’t been given a ton of homework, but you did have several assignments that took a little bit of time. You flopped onto your bed and relaxed on your phone for a while, enjoying the quiet. You got up to get a drink of water and when you got back, you noticed that you had a text from Natasha.

_ Nat: Hey, are you coming home for the weekend tonight? Sam is cooking dinner if you’re hungry. _

You looked at the time and realized that it was later than you thought. You quickly sent a text back.

_ You: Sorry, I didn’t see what time it was. On my way! _

_ Nat: Good. I thought I was going to have to drag you over here ;) We all missed you when you couldn’t come yesterday. _

_ You: I missed you guys too but my friends roped me into dinner and a movie and I couldn’t say no. Be there in a minute! _

_ Nat: Okay, see you soon! _

You pocketed your phone and grabbed the remote, opening the portal in your mirror. You stepped through and walked out into the lab. Tony and Peter were there working on a project. Peter noticed you first and immediately ran over to give you a hug.

“(Y/N), you’re back!”

You smiled and wrapped your arms around him. “Hey, Spidey. How was your first week of school?” You asked as you both released your hold on each other.

“It was good! I really like my Chemistry class. How was your week?”

You ruffled Peter’s curls. “I’m glad to hear it. My week was okay...I’m just happy to be here.”

He smiled and you both walked over to the workbench were Tony was. The billionaire beamed when he saw you. “Hey Bambi. We’re working on some updates for Peter’s suit if you want to help.”

“Of course!” You responded, sitting down beside him.

A few minutes later, Tony got up to go get some supplies from another room. You and Peter continued working for a second before Peter stood up.

“What are you doing?”

“Mr. Stark was working on a new Iron Man suit and I want to look at some of the upgrades he did.”

“Are you sure? Maybe we should wait for him to get back...”

“It’ll be fine, I poke around the lab all the time.” He responded confidentially as he walked over to where Tony’s prototype suit was.

“Okay, if you’re sure.” You said hesitantly before turning back to your work.

A sudden crash and clanging of metal startled you. You looked over to see Peter standing over the suit, now scattered around his feet. A few pieces looked like they might be broken.

“Peter...” You said, a bit shocked.

The color drained from his face. “Oh no...”

Right at that moment, Tony appeared in the doorway. He stood there for a second and took in the scene before him. “Pete, what did you do?!”

“Mr. Stark, I’m so sorry. It was an accident. I-I-I...”

“Kid, that was a brand new suit! I told you not to go snooping around the lab without me because something like this could happen!”

Peter stood there quiet as a mouse, looking extremely guilty. Tony walked over to his workbench and opened up a drawer, pulling out a fly swatter. A teasing glint appeared in his eye.

A hint of a smile flitted across Peter’s face. “Really, Mr. Stark? A fly swatter?”

“Yep. I keep it around for misbehaving Spider-kids.” Tony then ran over and started chasing Peter with it. The boy chuckled and started dodging, climbing up the walls to get away. Tony persisted and Peter kept moving out of the way at the last second, taking advantage of his superior agility. He finally landed back on the floor and started running across the lab. He didn’t get very far before Tony managed to land a hit on his arm, actually smacking it pretty good.

“Ouch! Mr. Starkk...” Peter said with a whine. He rubbed the spot where the swatter landed, looking hurt and a bit misty eyed.

“Shit, Pete. I swear I didn’t mean to hit you that hard. Are you okay?”

Peter just groaned and buried his head in Tony’s chest. The older man actually looked kind of apologetic as he hugged his mentee/unofficial son.

“Let me see your arm.” Tony said, gently pulling back a bit and rolling up Peter’s sleeve. When he saw no mark or bruise, he looked up at the kid with a confused expression. Peter wasn’t upset anymore and he had a smirk on his face as he grabbed the fly swatter from Tony in a quick move. He then started running, laughing his head off.

“Oh you better run, Spider-boy! You’re a cheater!” Tony responded as he went back to the drawer and pulled out another fly swatter, running after the high schooler.

You were laughing so hard that tears were forming in the corners of your eyes. You had started recording a few seconds after Tony started chasing Peter and it just kept getting better and better. Suddenly, the doors to the lab opened and Rhodey walked in. He stood in shock for a second as he absorbed what was happening. He made eye contact with you, a puzzled expression on his face. You simply shrugged your shoulders. 

He sighed and made his way further into the lab. “Tones, come on! Stop chasing the kid. Sam has dinner ready.”

That caught their attention. “Uncle Rhodey, you’re back early!” Peter said, running to give the man a hug. Rhodey chuckled and quickly returned the gesture.

“Yeah, kid. I figured I’d stop by for the night before I head over to DC.”

“Good to see you, honeybear. Now, let’s go eat.” Tony quipped, grabbing the fly swatter from Peter’s hand and putting both of them away. He then pressed a button that reattached the suit to where it was, every piece in tact. Peter’s jaw dropped and Tony just laughed. You all then made your way to the elevator and went upstairs for dinner. As soon as you walked into the common area, Natasha and Wanda saw you and came to smother you with hugs.

“Hey guys! Awe come on, I was only gone for a day!”

“Yes but we only get you for a few hours during weekdays now anyway. We missed you.” Wanda responded. You laughed and hugged them tighter before heading over to the living room. As soon as Bucky noticed you, he smiled, picked you up, and tossed you over his shoulder. 

“Gosh darn it! First Thor, now you? Y’all gotta stop throwing me around like this!”

“Ah, you know you love us, doll.” He replied as he set you down in the dining room. 

“Yeah and you’re lucky that I do. You can be a pain in the butt!”

Bucky chuckled and you rolled your eyes as he sat down. Everyone made their way in and soon you guys were having your typical lovely yet chaotic dinner. After you ate, you all sat down on the couches for movie night. Sam pulled out some popcorn and you snuggled up with Pietro to watch  _ Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back _ (it was Peter’s night to pick). It was an interesting movie but you were exhausted afterwards so you bade everyone goodnight and went off to your room. 

You cleaned up and put on your softest pajamas before crawling into bed. You tried to sleep for over two hours but your mind just wouldn’t shut off. Memories of Thanos’ confrontation and your time at HYDRA kept replaying over and over. You sighed and decided to go see Pietro. You hopped up and put on a robe, feeling very cozy. You quietly opened your door and stepped out into the hallway, taking the few steps to his room. You gingerly knocked on the door and were greeted by a rumpled blonde superhero a few seconds later.

“Hi, printesa. What are you doing up?” He asked, rubbing the sleep from his eyes.

“I-I can’t sleep.” 

Pietro’s expression was filled with concern but he still gave you a soft smile. “Come on, you’re staying here tonight.”

He led you inside, closing the door behind him. You slid off your robe and he then scooped you up and set you on the bed, crawling in beside you once you were settled. You both laid down on the pillows and Pietro quickly took you into his arms, laying very slightly on his side as he pulled you close. You snuggled up and buried your head into his shoulder, sighing contentedly.

“How much sleep have you gotten this week, (Y/N)?” Pietro suddenly asked, a hint of worry in his voice.

“Not much.” You admitted.

“Why don’t you try now?”

“I-I can’t. The memories replay in my head enough already and I don’t want to relive them in my dreams again.”

Pietro’s eyes grew sad as he placed a gentle finger under your chin and lifted your face until your eyes met his.

“You need rest. Just try. Please? For me? I’ll be right here with you if a nightmare wakes you up.”

You nodded and he sighed in relief. He wrapped his arms around you tighter and you finally drifted off, feeling safe and secure.

—————————————————————

A knock on the door the next morning woke you both up.

“Pietro!! Is (Y/N) in there?” It was Steve on the other side.

“Yes, she’s here and she’s fine. Go away.” Pietro groaned out, throwing a pillow at the door.

“Son, open the door please. I thought she overslept so I came to get her for breakfast and she wasn’t in her room. I was worried.”

“Pietro...” You said gently. “Come on, let’s just go.”

“But we’re so comfortable...” He said with a whiny voice as he pulled you closer.

You giggled a little. “We’ll be out in the common area in five minutes, Steve.” You shouted toward the door.

“Okay but I’m holding you to that!”

“I know!” You said with a laugh as you got up and started to put your robe on. Pietro mumbled his complaints but soon followed suit. As you were finishing up, Steve’s voice came over the intercom.

“Attention everyone. Breakfast will be starting shortly. If you spent the night with your boyfriend, please be sure to be fully clothed before entering the common area. Thank you!” 

_Oh I’m so going to get him for that later._ Although it made your cheeks flush with embarrassment, it was kind of funny. Pietro didn’t seem to think so but a pleading glance from you was enough to quell the anger in his eyes. He walked over and wrapped you in his arms, both of you leaning in to a kiss. You made out for a minute before you had to break apart. “We need to go. They’re waiting for us.” You said very reluctantly. Pietro just nodded and the two of you headed outside into the hallway, hands interlocked.

As soon as you stepped out into the common area, you were met with a few whoops and hollers.

“There’s the lovebirds!” Sam said teasingly, playfully elbowing you in your side.

“Very funny.” You responded, giving Pietro a kiss on the cheek and heading over to the kitchen. Steve greeted you with a smile that feigned innocence as he flipped some eggs onto a plate.

“Don’t play coy. I know that little announcement was you.”

“What? Me? Never.” He said resolutely, trying to stifle the laugh that broke out a second later.

You smacked his upper arm but soon joined him in laughing. “I’m so getting you back for that, by the way.”

“I wouldn’t expect any less from you, dove.” Steve shot back with a wink as he held a plate of food out to you. You rolled your eyes and took it, finding a seat at the dining table. Everyone soon joined and you all began eating, chatting about anything and everything. After everyone was finished and the kitchen was cleaned up, you headed down to the gym to train with Wanda.

“How are things with Vision, by the way?” You asked her as you rode the elevator down.

She smiled. “He’s amazing. I’m honestly really happy. 2 years ago, I didn’t think I would get to have this kind of life. Everyone looked at me like a freak. Being with the Avengers and proving my loyalty to the world has helped a lot, although it all almost fell apart last year. I’m just thankful for where I am now.”

You grabbed her hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. “I’m really happy for you. You deserve it.”

Wanda squeezed your hand back right as the elevator stopped and the doors opened. The two of you went inside the gym and got in position to begin training.

A few hours later, you were working on using force to stop heavy objects when Sam came into the training area.

“Hey Sam! What’s up?” You said, putting down the weighted blocks you were holding with your powers.

“We think we found a way to track Thanos.” He responded quickly, a very serious and concentrated look on his face.

You froze, unable to respond.

“(Y/N)? Are you okay?” Wanda asked, gently placing her hand on your shoulder. You looked at her with wide, panicked eyes and she nodded, carefully using her powers to see what you were thinking.

After a moment, she turned her powers off and looked at you with a concerned expression. “It’s going to be all right. Your mind is going to worst-case scenarios but it’ll be okay. We’ll find him.”

You nodded, a tiny bit of the tension releasing from your shoulders. “Thank you.” You turned toward Sam. “Let’s go find ourselves a mad titan.”

“That’s my girl. Come on, kids. Let’s go.”

You all went to the elevator and headed upstairs. Fear threatened to paralyze you again but you refused to let it.

_Thanos gave me a family, and now he will pay for trying to take it away from me._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fluff + a little angst = a very confusing time for you. How will you react to the latest development?  
> Whew, we’re getting to the good stuff now, y’all! I hope you guys liked this chapter. Sorry for the delay, I’ll set a more *realistic* schedule of around every two weeks for an update at this point. Also, we have almost 1000 hits?? Like, how?? Thank you for all the support, I’m so glad you all are enjoying the story! Sending love, hope everyone has a good week :)


	14. Heroes and Villans

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The team is able to find Thanos, but what will happen to you?

You walked into the conference room with Wanda and Sam and the three of you sat down. Tony came in a second later, using his StarkPad to project something onto the wall.

“Okay, so here’s how this works. Thanos obviously created that second portal somehow, right? So, we’ll use this device to trace large energy buildups similar to the Tesseract, check for heat signatures matching his description in that area, and we should be able to find him. We’ll send a second device with you whenever you go back to your original universe and it’ll tell us if he’s there as well.”

“Is this going to be able to track him in space?” You asked apprehensively.

“It can track a little ways out into our galaxy to give us a warning but its reach is not super far. This is mainly for when he comes back to Earth, and we know he will.” Tony responded before turning his attention back toward the StarkPad for a moment. “Okay, it should be running now. We’ll make sure someone is watching it at all times, okay?”

You nodded and chewed on your bottom lip as the image suddenly changed and a purple dot appeared off the coast of California. Everyone drew a breath.

“Wait, does that mean Thanos is here? Now?” You asked, breaking the silence.

Tony zoomed in on the location, revealing a large abandoned warehouse. After a second, he responded. “Yes. This must be some sort of hideout.”

You stood. “When are we leaving?”

Tony’s gaze snapped toward you, his eyes wide. “And what makes you think you’re going?”

“Tony, we’ve been over this. You can’t keep me away from missions forever!”

“This is completely different than last time. Thanos is specifically after you, and he most likely has something just as powerful as the Tesseract or the Tesseract itself considering how quickly it was moved from the HYDRA base. You’ve only had your powers for three months and you don’t need to be there to face him.”

You clenched your fists but your eyes conveyed more than just anger. “He’s kept me awake at night for too long. Please, Tony. Let me come.” You tried to keep your voice from breaking but a small crack slipped through.

His face softened but he shook his head, unrelenting. “I’m sorry, kid. You and Peter are staying out of this one and that’s final.”

You looked around the room. “Are any of you going to disagree? You need us there! Peter is amazing in combat and his Spidey-Sense has saved or nearly saved all of us at least once. As for me, I have the powers of the Tesseract...I can help you beat him!”

“We’re stronger than you guys think.” Peter stated, standing beside you.

Steve looked at you with a compassionate yet stubborn expression on his face. “I think Tony’s right, and we almost never agree. Thanos is after you, (Y/N), and there’s no sense in bringing you to him on a silver platter. Wanda has been trained for several years and he has no connection to her so she has a better shot at surprising him.”

“Thanks for the vote of confidence, Cap.” You said curtly.

Natasha chimed in. “Hey, come on, that’s not fair. You know we all care about you, and we see how powerful you are. We just-“

“Save it.” You cut her off. “It’s fine. You guys go. I’ll be in my room.”

“Printesa-“ Pietro started, gently grabbing your arm as you were walking out.

“Really, it’s okay. You have a mission to focus on.” You said, a slight heat still in your words. He let go of your arm and you walked out, heading to the elevator. You could hear Peter still arguing with Tony and everyone else as the doors closed, the elevator then shooting you up to the residential floor.

You walked down the hall to your room and shut the door. After pacing for a bit, you collapsed onto your bed and screamed into your pillow, trying to get the anger out of your system. A few minutes later, you stopped and just laid there silently, allowing your mind to wander. A tear slipped down your cheek as you heard the Quinjet take off from the roof.

_Will everyone survive the attack on Thanos?_

_ How am I going to fix this? _

_ Why wouldn’t they let me go with them? _

_ Am I not strong enough? _

_ What if I- _

A sudden knock on the door interrupted your thoughts.

“Come in.” You said, sitting up and quickly wiping your eyes.

The door slowly opened and Peter walked in. “Hey. I know it sucks that they wouldn’t let us go, but it’s going to be okay.” As he finished saying this, he sat down on the edge of the bed next to you.

“I know. Thank you.” You responded, trying to muster up a smile but coming just short of one.

“I was gonna go patrolling to get my mind off of it. Do you want to come?”

You thought for a moment. _ At least I’d be there to help if something goes wrong _ _._ “Sure, I’ll go with you.”

Peter smiled at you. “Awesome! I’ll go get suited up. Meet you in the hallway in 10 minutes?” He said excitedly as he stood up.

“Sounds good.” You replied, letting out a light chuckle at his enthusiasm. “Make sure to put on your mission watch.”

“Will do!” Peter shouted over his shoulder as he left the room and shut the door behind him.

You then went to your closet and got out your suit, putting it on carefully. You decided to not press the button to deploy the metal covering just yet. You strapped on the boots and quickly braided your hair before donning the headpiece and watch. Satisfied with your reflection in the mirror, you placed your phone and a few of the throwing knives that Natasha and Clint got you for your birthday into your holsters before walking out into the hall.

Peter was there and ready to go. The two of you got in the elevator and Peter surprised you by pushing the button for the roof instead of the lobby. You gave him a quizzical look and he just laughed.

“Spider-Man doesn’t do walks.” He said right as the doors opened.

He started running toward the railing on the side and your eyes widened as you finally realized what he was going to do. You tried to run and stop him but he disappeared over the edge of the rooftop right as you got there. You clutched the railing and looked around frantically before you found him slinging onto a nearby roof with his webbing. Once he landed, he gestured for you to follow him. You sighed with a mixture of relief and exasperation.

You’d seen Wanda use her powers to fly but you had never done it yourself. You stepped back and took a deep breath, feeling the energy surge through you as your eyes lit up blue. You were hovering uneasily above the roof for a moment before you steadied yourself and gained confidence. You shot across to where Peter was standing, landing a bit ungracefully but managing not to injure yourself.

“Nice job. I knew you could do it.” Peter told you, pulling up his mask for a moment and smiling warmly.

“Really? I didn’t.” You said with a half-hearted laugh.

—————————————————————

The pattern continued as the two of you made your way over to Queens, Peter guiding and you following. Once you got there, you patrolled together for a few hours, not doing anything more exciting than stopping a minor robbery on the street and driving away a few gross guys who were harassing a group of college girls. You were about to head back to the Tower when Peter suddenly froze, seeming startled by something.

He shook it off within a second but his huge eyes showed his panic. “We need to get out of here. NOW.” His voice was barely above a whisper but it conveyed a heavy urgency. Remembering your first day here, you nodded and followed him away from the street you were currently on.

He led you toward an alleyway and pointed to the roof. He slung up very quietly and you followed a moment later. You both crouched down behind the brick railing and waited.

Suddenly, the sound of clunking metal and something like an engine could be heard behind you. You turned around just in time to see a man in a pair of metal wings and a mask landing. Something about him set you off within the second, and when you looked at Peter, his stiff body language told you something was definitely really wrong.

“Tooms.” Peter said with disdain, his masked eyes narrowing as you both stood up.

“You know him?” You whispered. You had seen the trailer for the new Spider-Man movie before you got kidnapped but it was so long ago that you forgot most of it and you never got a chance to see the film when you got back to your original universe.

“Hello again, Parker.” The man responded, his voice a bit mechanical through the mask. “And I see you brought a new friend. Silver Shadow, right?”

“Who I am is none of your business.” You snarled.

“What are you doing here? I had you put in prison!” Peter exclaimed angrily.

“You’d be surprised how easy it is to escape.” Tooms replied. You could practically hear the smirk in his voice.

_ Iron-Spider. _ You discreetly signed to Peter in ASL. You had both taken some lessons from Clint and Natasha so you could easily communicate with everyone on the field. He nodded and pressed the button on his suit. You did the same and you were both covered in the thin yet strong metal within five seconds.

“Oh, I see they gave the kids new toys.” Tooms commented with a chuckle.

“Not a kid, not a toy.” You shot back as you began making your way toward him, conjuring energy in your hands.

“Oh really? Well, this is.” He replied, bringing out a large gun that seemed to have some kind of purple energy core swirling around inside of it.

“Oh, and I suppose I should introduce my friends.” The metal-clad man stated as several more people in similar gear but without the wings busted through the door leading to the roof.

You looked at Peter and nodded, the two of you full out running toward Tooms and his group. You dodged blasts from the guns that reminded you of the weapons that the Chitauri had used in the first Avengers movie. You knocked Tooms’ weapon out of his hands with your telekinesis, giving you just enough time to reach him and punch him in the jaw.

Unfortunately, he had magnetized the gun somehow, pressing a button that had it back in his hands in an instant. He used it to smack you upside the head, stunning you for a moment. Peter came in and used his webs to distract him, expertly yanking off his mask and covering his eyes. It gave you enough time to steady yourself and you soon jumped back into the fight, pissed off and ready to let it all out.

You stood your ground and faced several of Tooms’ lackeys, barely managing to avoid the blasts coming your way. You finally found an opening and knocked all of them into a pile of debris, using your powers to pile some on top of them so they couldn’t escape. Peter was busy with several of the others but he seemed to be doing okay. You then turned and encased Tooms in blue energy, holding him a little ways above the roof. He tried to turn on his wings and escape but he couldn’t.

You tightened your grip on him, refusing to back down. He used the little mobility left in his hands to shoot the gun in your direction, forcing you to move and weaken your hold just enough that he could make his way out. He came back on the roof and you were soon facing off with him again. Peter, having successfully taken out and webbed up the rest of the soldiers without too bad of a beating, quickly joined you.

You both dodged Tooms’ punches (Peter even easier than you due to his amazing reflexes) but you did end up getting grazed on the arm by a shot from the gun, making you even angrier. You utilized the combat skills you learned from Natasha to try and take him down but he used his wings to move out of your reach before you could effectively disarm him.

_ That’s it. _ You used your telekinesis to form a chokehold on him just as Peter used his webs to attach his feet to the roof and then shot two more at the wings, gripping the lines it created. You could hear Tooms’ gasps as you tightened the ring of energy. 

“You got guts, kid...but that isn’t enough.” He choked out. You glanced down at his hands just in time to see him point the gun at Peter.

“No!” You screamed, but it was too late.

The shot rang out and you could see Peter crumple like a rag doll when it hit the side of his abdomen, the webs detaching from the bands on his wrists as he fell and his feet slipping from their grip on the floor. You used your energy to pull the gun out of Tooms’ hand and somehow managed to crush it. You cut off his air for a few more seconds until you could tell he was unconscious. You then set him down and used the energy from one hand to hold him to the roof as you ran the few feet to Peter. You knelt down beside him, your heart dropping to your stomach when you saw his closed eyes.

“Peter! Peter, wake up! Stay with me, okay?” You said, using your free hand to shake him awake. You nearly passed out with relief when his eyes fluttered open and he let out a hacking cough.

“That’s it. Okay, let me see where it hit, all right?” You said shakily. He nodded slightly and managed to push himself onto his back.

You found the wound and inspected it. It was a large and deep cut on his right side, the edges burned badly. Blood was pouring out and Peter’s face was growing paler by the second. You quickly used some energy to cover the wound and stop the bleeding, desperate for anything that would help.

You remembered seeing some gauze and a wrap-around bandage somewhere in the belt Tony had put together for you. You fumbled around until you found it. You gently placed the gauze over the wound with your free hand before you stood back up for a moment. You used energy from both hands to place large slabs of concrete over top of the unconscious Tooms before breathlessly telling FRIDAY to call the police with your location and give them the footage from the security camera on the roof.

You quickly knelt back down beside Peter and wrapped the bandage around his waist, eliciting a pained groan from him. You then helped him stand, noticing that he was trembling with the effort. He nearly passed out when he finally got to his feet and you had to catch him.

You adjusted him in your arms until you were carrying him with one hand holding his legs and the other supporting his upper body. It hurt the wound sitting near your shoulder but you didn’t care. You told FRIDAY to contact Dr. Cho, remembering what Tony had told you about how they handled medical emergencies if Bruce wasn’t available. Bruce may not have had an official MD but no one knew more about superhuman biology and physiology than him so the team tended to go to him and Dr. Cho for all medical stuff.

After having FRIDAY make the call, you moved your hands in their position underneath Peter to point outward enough to allow you to fly again. You shot across the city, sort of slow and a bit unsteady with Peter in your arms but managing nonetheless. FRIDAY alerted you that Dr. Cho would reach the Tower at around the same time as you, flooding you with relief. Peter had fallen unconscious again and that wasn’t a good sign.

You finally got to the Tower and landed on the roof, meeting up with the medical team and carefully setting Peter down on one of the gurneys to be quickly wheeled away. You took a moment to just stand silently and breathe, exhausted and a bit beat up.

“...t. Miss, are you listening?” The paramedic next to you said.

“Huh? Oh, sorry. I was a bit zoned out. Could you repeat that please?” You responded.

“I was just saying that you should probably get checked out.” She replied, eying you warily.

“Oh, no. I’m f-“

“Don’t say you’re fine.” She cut in. “Your whole arm is covered in blood from that cut, you look like you’re so tired that you may pass out, and you’re most likely concussed. Gurney. Now.”

“Okay.” You said reluctantly, sighing and pulling yourself onto the mobile bed.

“Thank you. See, that wasn’t so hard!” She responded with a sarcastic yet comforting smile.

You rolled your eyes but let her and another medic inspect you without a fight. They determined that you needed some fluids, stitches for the cut where Tooms had shot you, and an MRI for your concussion. They had you lay all the way down and wheeled you to the elevator, taking you to the Med Bay. As soon as you got there and were transferred to the other bed, you were swarmed with a medical team. You probably should have been slightly concerned for yourself but your only thought was Peter.

A few minutes and some drugs later, it finally quieted down a bit and you fell into a troubled sleep.

—————————————————————

You woke up to the rhythmic beeping of a heart monitor. You slowly opened your eyes and took in your surroundings, needing a second to remember where you were. As you looked around, you were surprised to find Steve and Tony sitting on chairs in the space between your bed and the other bed in the room. The mess of brown curls told you it was Peter sleeping there. As you shifted around, Steve’s gaze snapped toward you.

“Hey. How you feeling?” He asked quietly.

You cleared your throat but your voice was still raspy with sleep. “I’ve been worse. I’ll be fine. How’s Peter?”

“It was a close call but Dr. Cho says he should make a full recovery. He just needs to rest for a while.”

You were instantly flooded with relief. “That’s good.”

Just then, Tony got up out of his chair andstood beside your bed. “Hey, kid.”

“Hey Tony.”

“Do you want the lecture first or the news about the mission first?”

“Tell me about the mission.” You responded quickly.

“Well, it wasn’t Thanos. Just one of his lackeys. He wasn’t too big of an issue but still no Thanos or Tesseract yet.”

“Okay. Thanks for telling me.”

“Sure. Now, I have some questions for you.”

You sighed. “Go ahead.”

“What were you thinking? You and Peter could’ve been killed! Peter almost was! You shouldn’t have gone out when none of us were nearby for backup!” Tony wasn’t shouting, but his tone was stern.

“He was going to go anyway, Tony! At least I was there to prevent the worst!”

“You should’ve kept him here. Tooms almost killed him again.” He responded curtly.

“It was an ambush. There was nothing we could do that we didn’t do.”

“You. Should. Have. Stayed. Here.”

“Tony...” Steve chimed in, standing up and placing a gentle hand on his shoulder. Tony shrugged it off and walked out, clearly still upset.

A tear pricked at the corner of your eye and you tried to swipe it away before Steve noticed. Unfortunately, it was too late.

“Hey, it’s going to be okay. He isn’t as mad as he seems. He just needs time to cool off. He hates seeing you guys like this.” The blonde soldier said, comfortingly cupping your cheek and wiping a tear with his thumb.

You nodded. “Okay. Thanks, Steve.”

“Of course.”

Steve sat back down in the chair beside your bed and gripped your shaking hand. You both sat in the silence for a few minutes before you spoke again.

“Did they capture Tooms and his guys?”

“Yes. They’re in The Raft now so there won’t be any more escapes.”

“Good.”

You didn’t say anything else after that, but Steve’s hand didn’t leave yours.

—————————————————————

A little while later, there was a knock on the door and Pietro entered the room.

“Hello, printesa.” He said with a smile as he came over and wrapped his arms around you. You clung to him tightly, afraid you’d fall apart and scatter like dust in the wind if you let go. You let out a small sob.

“It’s all right. I’m here. I’m here.” He said, adjusting himself so he was laying next to you on the bed. You buried your head in his chest and let him comfort you. Steve whispered his goodbyes and let you be alone with your boyfriend.

“I’m so sorry.” You choked out.

“You don’t have to apologize, draga mea. We all make mistakes and you went to protect Peter. I understand completely. I would have done the same for Wanda.”

You nodded and the two of you just continued to lay there holding each other.

Lots of snuggles, a movie, and a few hours later, Bruce and Dr. Cho said you were good to go as long as you took it easy the next couple of days.

You went upstairs and took a relaxing shower, grateful for the warm, soothing water. You then slipped on your coziest pajamas and walked to the elevator to head back downstairs so you could check on Peter.

When you opened the doors to the room, you found Tony sitting in a chair next to the bed. You simply sighed and pulled up a chair next to him, not taking your eyes off of the sleeping Peter. You sat in silence for a while before Tony spoke up.

“Kid?”

You turned toward him. “Hm?”

“I-I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have gotten so upset. I know this isn’t your fault. I-It’s just...Peter, he-“ He choked up for a second.

“I get it. I’m sorry too. I-I’m just tired of being so scared all the time.”

“Hey, you know we won’t let anything happen to you, right? Not only are you a strong fighter, but you have a whole family of super humans and geniuses behind you.”

You smiled a little and leaned across the chair to put your head on his shoulder. “Thanks, Tony.”

He gently laid his arm around you. “Anytime, Bambi.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! I’m sorry this is so so so late but I hope it was worth it! I’m not even going to try to set a timeline at this point but the story is far from over and I won’t leave it incomplete. Hope you all have a great day!!


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